Hooke's Law Experiment
Spring Constant Determination with Weights and Extensions
Explore Hooke's Law by adding weights to a spring and observing the extension. Calculate the spring constant and see how force relates to extension!
Force: 0 N | Extension: 0 cm
Mass: 0 grams
Current Measurement:
No weight added. The spring is at its natural length.
Observation:
Add weights to see how the spring extends proportionally to the force applied.
The Science Behind Hooke's Law
Key Concepts:
Hooke's Law states that the force needed to extend or compress a spring is proportional to the distance:
- F = kx where F is force, k is spring constant, and x is extension
- Elastic limit: The point beyond which the spring won't return to its original shape
- Spring constant (k): Measure of stiffness (higher k = stiffer spring)
Practical Applications:
Hooke's Law explains many everyday objects: car suspensions, mattress springs, pogo sticks, and even molecular bonds between atoms.
