Physics practical

Springs: extension and load

Load a spring one newton at a time, read the pointer on a metre rule, and find the spring constant from your graph.

What you will do

1. 01Stand the metre rule beside the spring and read the pointer with no load.
2. 02Hang the 100 g hanger (1.0 N), then add 100 g masses one at a time.
3. 03Wait for the spring to stop bouncing, then read the pointer at eye level.
4. 04Record load, pointer reading and extension for at least six loads.
5. 05Plot extension against load, draw the line, and find the gradient.
6. 06Use the gradient to find the spring constant, and say whether the spring obeys Hooke’s law.