EXPERIMENT NO: 7

Aim:
To find the force constant of a spring and to study the variation in time period of oscillation of a body
m
suspended by the spring. To find acceleration dueto gravity by plotting graph of T against .

Apparatus:
i) Spring attached with a hanger and a pointer ii) slotted weights iii) vertical clamp and stand, iv) a scale
graduated in cm on a plane mirror v) a stopwatch.

Theory:
F kl k
The restoring force of the spring is given by , where is spring
l (W mg )
constant and is the extension due to a load . Therefore
W 1
k
W kl l S1 W vs l
or (S1 slope of graph) (i)
m l
T 2 T 2 m
K mg
Again time period of vibration of spring mass system or or
4 2 l 4 2 T
g 2 2 S1 S2
S2 m S2 m T vs m S1 l vsW
, where (slope of graph) and is the slope of the
graph )
W gf l vsW l vs m
[As is taken in ,so the slope of the graph and slope of the are same. S1 the slope
l vs m l vs W
of graph which is same as graph as W is taken in gf unit]

Procedure:

The spring attached with the pointer and the hanger is suspended from a stand and clamp system.

The reading of the index with a free load before loading is recorded.

A slotted weight of 40gm is placed on the hanger and record the reading of the index.

The weight is slightly pulled downward and released and the spring is set into vertical vibration.

The time for 20 such vertical oscillations is recorded with the stop watch.
 Increase the load by 20gm and record the reading of the index.

The experiment as explained above is repeated with four different weights.

Steps (iii) to (vii) are repeated by unloading in a stepwise manner.

The mean time for 20 oscillations for every load is found and the time period of vertical vibration of
the spring for the corresponding load is also calculated.

(W ) (l ) T
From the recorded observations two graphs (i) load vs. extension and (ii) time period ( ) vs.
m
square root of mass ( ) are plotted.

Observations:

(l 0 )
Initial Reading of the pointer = cm.

Table: 1

SL. Total mass on the Reading of the Mean Actual Time for 20 vibrations while Time
No load Hanger pointer while extension Extension in seconds period m
(W ) (m) l' l (l ' l 0 ) T=t/20
in gm Loading Unloading t1 t2 Mean t in sec. in sec. in
in gf in cm in cm g1/2
1. 40 115 10.7

2. 60 135 11.6
3. 80 155 12.4
4 100 175 13.2

Calculations:

W
S1
l
a) From the graph (i) slope = in gf cm-1or Nm-1[up to one decimal place].

T
S2
m
b) From the graph (ii) slope = in s gm-1/2[up to three significant figures].
 4 2 10 2
(g) 2
S2 S1
c) Acceleration due to gravity = in m/s2.

Precautions:

a) The spring was hung freely so that the pointer did not touch the scale or any part of the hanging
system.

b) Amplitude of vibration was not very large.

c) The load was always within the elastic limit.

d) Time for vibration during loading and unloading was recorded when equilibrium was achieved.

e) While plotting the graph the scale was so chosen that the entire plotting covered at least 60% of the
graph paper.