HOOKES LAW

Ko, Bhing Liok P., PHY11L/A3

bhingliok_29@yahoo.com

Abstract

This paper deals with the study of elastic properties of a spring. This experiment aims
to investigate the relationship between the deforming forces and the amount an object
stretches and the total work done on the spring when it is being stretched. To do this, two
springs of different spring constants were used and observed. Varying forces were applied in
order to determine the elasticity and spring constant. For every change in force corresponds
to a change in displacement. Thus, plotting force vs. displacement in a graph, slope and areas
were obtained. The results obtained revealed that displacement is directly proportional to the
force applied as well as the spring constant k. Qualitatively, table one A and B obtained
8.73% and 7.34% difference; while the percent difference in determining the work done on
the spring between 1A and 1B resulted to 14.29% and 13.33% difference.

Key Words: Elasticity, Spring Constant, Work, Slope, Force, Displacement

Introduction

For each kind of deformation, a quantity is called stress which characterizes the
strength of the forces causing the deformation, on a force per unit area basis. Another
quantity, strain, describes the resulting deformation. When the stress and strain are small
enough, it is often that the two are directly proportional. This is called the proportionality
constant and elastic modulus. The harder an object is being pulled, the more its stretches; the
more it is being squeezed, the more it compresses. This relationship can be expressed as an
equation [1]:

= (Hookes Law) (1)

The mathematical concept of elasticity uncovers its origin in mechanical physics. It

defines stress, strain and other forms of mechanical deformation and their properties.
Elasticity is the ability of an object to return to its original length, shape or size when the
deforming forces are removed. Everyday examples are jelly, rubber band, wires and spandex.
However, as an object is subjected to multiple or extreme distortions, it would be deformed
permanently broken [2].
In this experiment, the study of elastic properties of the spring Hookes Law and the
total work done on the spring when being stretched. Specifically, the relationship between the
deforming force and the amount an object stretches was investigated.
Elasticity refers to a property by which an object changes its length, shape or size
under the action of a deforming force and recovers its original configuration upon the
removal of force. The deformation of an elastic material obeys Hookes Law which states
that Within the elastic limit of a body, the deforming force is directly proportional to the
elongation of the body.

1
 = (2)

Work done is when a spring is stretched. The work done by a force when the
elongation goes from xo to xf if given by the equation

=

1
= ( 2 2 ) (3)
2

The degree of elasticity of a material is called Modulus of Elasticity. For solid

materials, the degree of elasticity is called the Youngs Modulus of Elasticity. It is the ratio of
longitudinal stress to the resultant longitudinal strain.

= (4)

where stress is the ration an applied force per unit area,

= (5)

and strain is the relative change in the bodys length, shape or size.

= (6)

thus,

= (7)

Methodology
Experiment 205 is divided into three parts. Part one A aims to determine the force
constant of the spring using a 4 N/m as its spring. Part one B also aims to determine the force
constant of the spring but in this case, 8 N/m of spring was used. Part two aims to determine
the work done on the spring. The materials used were: Hookes Law apparatus, 4 and 8 N/m
spring, mass hanger and set of weights.
During the first half of part one, a 5g mass was placed on a mass hanger. The change
in displacement of the spring and the weight of the hanging mass was recorded. Using the eq.
(2), the force constant was computed. The procedure was repeated for another three trials but
with additional 10g of weights. The average value was also determined for these four trials.
Set-up for part one A is shown below:

2
 Fig. 1. A Hookes Law apparatus Fig. 2. A 4 N/m spring

Fig. 3. The stretch indicator having its Fig. 4. A 5 g weight placed on the
Xo = 0 mass hanger

The second half of part one of the experiment was almost identical with the procedure
of part one A, the only difference is the spring used. For part one B, the spring used was 8
N/m. The set-up for part one B is shown below:

Fig. 5. An 8 N/m spring Fig. 6. Determining the displacement for

first trial

3
 The last part of the experiment aims to determine the work done on the spring. From
the results gathered in procedure B, the total work done in stretching the spring was obtained
using eq. (3). Afterwards, the area under the graph of force vs. displacement was plotted.

Results and Discussion

The main goal of the first part of this experiment is to determine force constant of the
spring. In order to do this, two parts with four trials in each procedure were performed. The
results are shown below:

Table 1A. Determining the Force Constant of the Spring

TRIAL mass (kg) force (N) displacement (m) force constant (n/m)
1 0.01 0.098 0.023 4.26
2 0.02 0.196 0.041 4.78
3 0.03 0.294 0.060 4.90
4 0.04 0.392 0.080 4.90
average 4.71
slope of the line 5.14
% difference 8.73%

Table 1A above shows the results gathered using set of weights and a 4 N/m spring.
The set of weights used for four trials were 0.01kg, 0.02kg, 0.03kg, and 0.04kg. As you can
see, as the mass increases, same goes with the force and displacement and force constant.
This shows that force and displacement are directly proportional to the force constant. Using

the equation, = 2 1 , the slope of the line results to 5.14. The resulting percent difference
2 1
is 8.73%.

Table 1B. Determining the Force Constant of the Spring

TRIAL mass (kg) force (N) displacement (m) force constant (N/m)
1 0.01 0.098 0.013 7.54
2 0.02 0.196 0.024 8.17
3 0.03 0.294 0.035 8.40
4 0.04 0.392 0.044 8.95
average 8.27
slope of the line 8.90
% difference 7.34%

Table 1B above shows the results gathered using set of weights and an 8 N/m spring.
The procedure in table 1B is almost the same with table 1A. The only difference is the spring
used. Thus, the results were also identical. As the mass applied increases, the force,
displacement and force constant also increases. The calculated slope is 8.90 while the percent
difference is 7.34%.

4
Table 2. Determining the Work Done on the Spring
final
average force work area under the F
TRIAL displacement % difference
constant (N/m) (Joule) vs. x graph
(m)
Table 1A 0.080 4.71 0.015 0.013 14.29
Table 1B 0.044 8.27 0.008 0.007 13.33

The table above shows the computed values in comparing the total work done and the
area under the graph of force vs. displacement. The graph plotted shows a positive slope.

Thus, in order to get the slope, the formula, = 2 1 was used. To obtain the area, the
2 1
1
equation = was used since it formed a right triangle in the graph.
2

Conclusion
The main relationship between the force applied and the force constant is that force is
directly proportional to the displacement by using eq. (2). Work done on a spring can be
computed using eq. (3).
The results revealed that no matter what force applied in the spring, as long as it
doesnt exceed the maximum limit, the force constant will stay the same all throughout. In
other words, as the spring is being held constant while the displacement increases, the force
applied also increases. Qualitatively, in part one A, the average force constant is 4.71 while
the % difference is 8.73%. In part one B, the average force constant is 8.27 while the %
difference is 7.34%. A little huge % difference was because of some factors like
inappropriate set-up of the equipment and inaccuracy in measurements. For table two, the
total work done and the area under the graph between force and displacement was observed.
It showed that the % difference resulted to 14.29% and 13.33% for table 1A and 1B
respectively.

References

Book
[1] Young, H., Freedman, R., p.363, 12th Edition, Pearson Education South Asia Pte Ltd.,
University Physics with Modern Physics, (2009)
[2] Laboratory Manual, General Physics 1, Department of Physics, Mapa Institute of Technology,
Manila