DEPARTMENT OF AEROSPACE

ENGINEERING
FACULTY OF ENGINEERING

AEROSPACE LABORATORY I
EAS 3921

EXPERIMENT 4: MASS SPRING SYSTEM (PART B)

NAME: ABEEB FAJOBI OLAMILEKAN

MATRIC NUMBER: 181268
DATE: 14th MARCH, 2017
LECTURER : DR NOORFAIZAL BIN YIDRIS

INSTRUCTOR : MR MOHD SAFUAN OTHMAN

TECH NICIAN : MR MOHD SUHARDI ALI

Introduction:

A helical spring, deflecting as a result of applied force, conforms to

Hookes Law (deflection proportional to deflecting force).

The reciprocal of this is the stiffness of the spring and is the force
required to produce unit deflection. A rigid body of mass M under elastic
restraint, supported by spring(s), forms the basis of all analysis of vibrations
in mechanical systems. The basis equation is of the form:

Mx=-kx

where k = stiffness

This is clearly simple harmonic motion of periodic time :

T2 = 2 m
k

Objectives:

i. To study the oscillations behavior of a spring under various loads.

ii. To analyze the periodic time for a spring under simple harmonic motion.
iii. To calculate and compare the spring stiffness with previous experiment.
iv. To calculate and compare the effective mass of the spring.
v. To verify Hookes Law.
vi. To obtain the relationship between period, T (s) and mass (kg).
vii. To calculate the spring stiffness, k (kg/ s) via dynamic testing
Apparatus:

i. Helical Springs
ii. Clamp and portal frame platform
iii. 10 dead weight of 400g.
iv. Ruler
v. Stopwatch

Procedure:

i. The platform with the dead weight was displaced at a certain

displacement value (this value was kept constant.)
ii. The platform was released to produce vertical harmonic motion in the
system. The time taken for 10 complete oscillations was noted and the
periodic time was recorded.
iii. A dead weight of 400g was added to the platform.
iv. The procedure was repeated until 4kg of dead weight is applied.
v. Spring A was removed and the experiment was repeated with spring B.
vi. The data is tabulated in a table at when the spring is loaded and
unloaded or both spring A and Spring B the relationship graph
between t2 and m is plotted.
 Results:

For spring A

Mass/ Time for 10 oscillations Period ,T(s) T 2 (s 2)

kg Average
LOADED UNLOADED 10
T1 T2 T3 T T1 T2 T3 T Loade Unloa Mean Load Unloa Mean
average average d ded ed ded
0.40 2.75 2.50 2.78 2.68 2.85 2.71 2.7 2.78 0.268 0.27 0.27 0.07 0.07 0.07
8 8 3 2 7 5
0.80 3.09 3.16 3.13 3.13 3.40 3.18 3.2 3.26 0.313 0.32 0.32 0.09 0.10 0.10
1 6 0 8 6 2
1.20 3.40 3.60 3.44 3.48 3.65 3.72 3.6 3.68 0.348 0.36 0.35 0.12 0.13 0.12
6 8 8 1 5 8
1.60 3.75 3.85 3.91 3.84 3.78 3.81 4.0 3.86 0.384 0.38 0.38 0.14 0.14 0.14
0 6 5 7 9 8
2.00 4.31 4.12 4.28 4.24 4.13 4.37 4.0 4.20 0.424 0.42 0.42 0.18 0.17 0.17
9 0 2 0 6 8
2.40 4.40 4.50 4.50 4.47 4.50 4.41 4.6 4.53 0.447 0.45 0.46 0.19 0.20 0.21
8 3 5 9 5 6
2.80 4.81 4.70 4.62 4.71 4.78 4.65 4.8 4.73 0.471 0.47 0.47 0.22 0.22 0.22
0 3 2 2 4 3
3.20 4.88 4.81 4.81 4.83 4.72 4.78 4.8 4.80 0.483 0.48 0.48 0.23 0.23 0.23
9 0 2 3 0 2
3.60 4.97 5.00 5.04 5.00 4.94 4.88 5.0 4.90 0.500 0.50 0.50 0.25 0.25 0.25
7 7 4 0 7 4
4.00 5.09 5.10 5.25 5.15 5.12 5.09 5.2 5.14 0.510 0.51 0.51 0.26 0.26 0.26
2 4 2 0 4 2
 Graph of T2 loaded against mass for spring A

0.3

0.25 f(x) = 0.05x + 0.06

0.2

Linear ()
T2/s2 0.15
0.1

0.05

0
0 0.4 0.8 1.2 1.6 2 2.4 2.8 3.2 3.6 4 4.4

mass/kg

GRAPH 1 .SPRING A LOADED

Graph of T2 unloaded against mass for spring A

0.3

0.25 f(x) = 0.05x + 0.07

0.2

T2/s2 0.15 Linear ()

0.1

0.05

0
0 0.4 0.8 1.2 1.6 2 2.4 2.8 3.2 3.6 4 4.4

mass/kg

GRAPH 2 .SPRING A UNLOADED

 Graph of T2 Mean against mass for spring A
0.3

0.25 f(x) = 0.05x + 0.06

0.2

T2/s2 0.15
Linear ()
0.1

0.05

0
0 0.4 0.8 1.2 1.6 2 2.4 2.8 3.2 3.6 4 4.4

mass/kg

GRAPH 3 .SPRING A MEAN

For spring B

Mass/k Time for 10 oscillations Average T 2 (s 2)

g Period ,T(s) 10
LOADED UNLOADED

T1 T2 T3 T T1 T2 T3 T Loade Unloade Mea Loade Unloade Me

averag averag d d n d d n

e e

0.4 2.6 2.8 3.0 2.85 2.9 2.9 2.8 2.93 0.29 0.29 0.2 0.08 0.09 0
8 7 0 7 6 7 9
0.8 3.3 3.3 3.2 3.30 3.2 3.4 3.2 3.32 0.33 0.33 0.3 0.11 0.11 0
4 1 5 9 1 5 3
1.2 3.8 3.7 3.8 3.81 3.7 3.7 3.7 3.75 0.38 0.38 0.3 0.14 0.14 0
2 5 5 5 8 2 8
1.6 4.1 4.2 4.1 4.18 4.1 4.1 4.2 4.19 0.42 0.42 0.4 0.17 0.18 0
6 2 6 9 6 2 2
2 4.6 4.6 4.5 4.62 4.5 4.4 4.5 4.52 0.46 0.45 0.4 0.21 0.20 0
3 3 9 0 7 9 6
2.4 4.8 4.9 4.9 4.89 4.8 4.8 4.8 4.84 0.49 0.48 0.4 0.24 0.23 0
 1 3 4 4 5 2 9
2.8 5.1 5.1 5.2 5.21 5.1 5.1 5.1 5.15 0.52 0.52 0.5 0.27 0.27 0
9 6 8 5 5 5 2
3.2 5.4 5.4 5.4 5.41 5.4 5.4 5.4 5.41 0.54 0.54 0.5 0.29 0.29 0
4 0 0 0 3 4
3.6 5.6 5.8 5.7 5.77 5.6 5.6 5.7 5.72 0.58 0.57 0.5 0.33 0.33 0
9 5 8 8 9 8 7
4 6.0 6.0 5.9 5.99 6.0 5.9 6.0 6.00 0.60 0.60 0.6 0.36 0.36 0
0 0 6 0 7 3 0

Graph of T2 loaded against mass for spring B

0.40
0.35
f(x) = 0.08x + 0.05
0.30
0.25

T2/s2 0.20
0.15 Linear ()
0.10
0.05
0.00
0 0.4 0.8 1.2 1.6 2 2.4 2.8 3.2 3.6 4 4.4

mass/kg

GRAPH 4. SPRING B LOADED

Graph of T2 unloaded against mass for spring B

0.40
0.35
f(x) = 0.08x + 0.05
0.30
0.25

T2/s2 0.20
0.15 Linear ()
0.10
0.05
0.00
0 0.4 0.8 1.2 1.6 2 2.4 2.8 3.2 3.6 4 4.4

mass/kg
 GRAPH 5. UNLOADED SPRING B

Graph of T2 mean against mass for spring B

0.40
0.35
f(x) = 0.08x + 0.05
0.30
0.25

T2/s2 0.20 Linear ()

0.15
0.10
0.05
0.00
0 0.5 1 1.5 2 2.5 3 3.5 4 4.5

mass/kg

GRAPH 6. MEAN SPRING B

2. Determine the stiffness of the spring (loaded, unloaded, mean)

mass average 3.036

2
T average
0.178
(loaded ) 2
2
T average
0.182
(unloaded ) 3
T2 average
0.181
(mean ) 8

mass of spring
A(kg) 0.162
 mass of rod A(kg) 0.674

Total 0.836

2.1. Spring A (Loaded)

We know that:
4
T2= m ................................ (1) Where, m is mass.
k

y = 0.0539x + 0.0595
4 2
Since gradient, m= from graph 1, we can see that gradient,
k

m=0.05 39 s /kg

4 2
k=
m

4 3.1422
k=
0.0539

k =732. 63 kg /s 2

To obtain our k (stiffness) theoretically for loaded, we know that:

4 2
T2= m
k

4 2 m
k= 2
T avg
2
4 (3.036)
k=
0.17 82
 2
k =672.7 7 kg/s

P ercentage Error for stiffness k

T h eoretical valueExperimental value

%Error= 100
Theoretical value

%Error= |672.77732.63
672.7 7
100 |

8.9

2.2 Spring A (Unloaded)

We know that:
4
T2= m ................................ (1) Where, m is mass.
k

y = 0.0526x + 0.0667
2
4
Since gradient, m= from graph 2, we can see that gradient,
k

m=0.05 26 s /kg

2
4
k=
m

4 3.1422
k=
0.0526

k =750 .73 kg /s 2

To obtain our k (stiffness) theoretically for Unloaded, we know that:

4 2
T2= m
k
 4 2 m
k=
T 2 avg
2
4 (3.036)
k=
0.18 23
2
k =657 .64 kg /s

P ercentage Error for stiffness k

T h eoretical valueExperimental value

%Error= 100
Theoretical value

%Error= |657 . 64750.7

693.71
3
100 |

14 . 2

2.3 Spring A (Mean)

We know that:
4
T2= m ................................ (1) where, m is mass.
k

y = 0.0535x + 0.0641
2
4
Since gradient, m= from graph 3, we can see that gradient,
k

m=0.053 5 s /kg

2
4
k=
m

4 3.1422
k=
0.0535

k =738 .10 kg /s 2
 To obtain our k (stiffness) theoretically for Mean spring A, we know that:

2
4
T2= m
k

4 2 m
k=
T 2 avg
2
4 (3.036)
k=
0.1818
2
k =659 . 45 kg/ s

P ercentage Error for stiffness k

T h eoretical valueExperimental value

%Error= 100
Theoretical value

%Error= |659 . 45738

659.45
. 10
100 |

11 . 9

2.4. Spring B (Loaded)

mass of spring
B(kg) 0.105
mass of rod B(kg) 0.674

0.779

3.016
mass avergae 9
T2 average 0.221
(loaded ) 8
T2 average 0.219
(unloaded ) 5
T2 average 0.220
(mean ) 6

We know that:
4
T2= m ................................ (1) where, m is mass.
k

y = 0.0776x + 0.0511
4 2
Since gradient, m= from graph 4, we can see that gradient,
k

m=0.077 6 s /kg

4 2
k=
m

4 3.1422
k=
0.077 6
2
k =508 .87 kg/s

To obtain our k (stiffness) theoretically for Loaded spring B, we know that:

2 4 2
T = m
k

4 2 m
k= 2
T avg

4 2 (3.0169)
k=
0.2219

k =536 .88 kg/s 2

P ercentage Error for stiffness k

T h eoretical valueExperimental value

%Error= 100
Theoretical value
%Error= |536 .536
88508 . 87
.88
100 |

5 .2

2.5 . Spring B (Unloaded)

We know that:
4
T2= m ................................ (1) Where, m is mass.
k

y = 0.0764x + 0.0514
2
4
Since gradient, m= from graph 5, we can see that gradient,
k

m=0.076 4 s /kg

4 2
k=
m

4 3.1422
k=
0.076 4

k =516 .87 kg/ s2

To obtain our k (stiffness) theoretically for unloaded spring B, we know that:

4 2
T2= m
k

4 2 m
k= 2
T avg
2
4 (3.0169)
k=
0.2195

k =542. 75 kg /s2
 P er centage Error for stiffness k

T h eoretical valueExperimental value

%Error= 100
Theoretical value

%Error= |542.75516.87
542.75
100 |

4.8

2.6. Spring B (Mean)

We know that:
2 4
T = m ................................ (1) where, m is mass.
k

y = 0.077x + 0.0513
4 2
Since gradient, m= from graph 6, we can see that gradient,
k

m=0.077 s /kg

4 2
k=
m

4 3.1422
k=
0.077

k =512.71kg /s 2

To obtain our k (stiffness) theoretically for unloaded spring B, we know that:

2
2 4
T = m
k

4 2 m
k= 2
T avg
 2
4 (3.0169)
k=
0.2207

k =539. 79 kg /s 2

P ercentage Error for stiffness k

T h eoretical valueExperimental value

%Error= 100
Theoretical value

%Error= |539.79512.71
539.79
100 |

5 .0

Discussions:

i. Difficulties:
Using too much extension causes instability while less
extension leads to less than 10 oscillations.
ii. Comments:
The spring stiffness of spring A is calculated to be 732.63 N/m
while spring stiffness of spring B is calculated to be 508.87.11
N/m when both spring are loaded checking the errors for both
springs when they are loaded, unloaded and its mean, spring B
has less error compare to spring A .Therefore, comparing their
stiffness spring A is stiffer than spring B. This is because the wire
cross sectional diameter of spring A is longer than that of spring
B.
Errors cause difference between the experimental value and the
theoretical value.
.
 Conclusion:

i. We studied the oscillations behaviour of a spring under various

loads.
ii. We calculated the spring stiffness and compared it with the
previous experiment.
iii. The periodic time for a spring under simple harmonic motion is
analyzed
iv. We calculated and compared the effective mass of the spring.

References:

i. 3rd Edition Mechanical Vibrations by Singeresu S. Rao, Addison Wesley

Publishing Company.
ii. Retrieved from : http://www.physics247.com/physics-tutorial/hookes-
law.shtml