Lesson 6: Elasticity RP

Question 1

What are the 8 steps for the practical?

Answer 1

1.) Attach a meter rule to one clamp and a spring (with a pointer attached securely to the bottom of spring) to the other clamp.
2.) Ensure that the top of the spring is at the 0 point on the meter rule.
3.) Make sure the pointer is horizontal.
4.) Read the position of the pointer on the meter rule (this is unstretched length of spring.)
5.) Hang a 1N weight to the spring - read the new position of the pointer on the meter rule.
6.) Continue adding 1N weights to the spring/ reading position of the pointer.
7.) Calculate the extension of each weight by subtracting the length of the spring at specific weights to the length of the unstretched spring.
8.) Plot a graph of extension against weight.

Question 2

Why do we place a heavy weight on the clamp stand in this required practical?

Answer 2

• To stop the clamp stand from falling over.

Question 3

How is the apparatus set up in this practical?

Answer 3

• Clamp stand (with two clamps attached to it.)
• Heavy weight placed on clamp stand.

Question 4

How would you use the weight extension graph to work out the weight of a mystery object?

Answer 4

• Measure the extension of spring when mystery object (ie a stone) is hanging from it.
• Read the weight of the stone from the graph (drawing a line down from the extension to the weight.)

Question 5

How can we calculate the spring constant by using a graph (where weight is on x axis and extension is on y axis?)

Answer 5

• Read off any values of extension and weight (from the straight part of the graph, not any curved bits!!)
• Use this equation to calculate the spring constant —> F = ke

Question 6

Why is it important for the pointer (that is attached securely to the bottom of the spring) to be horizontal?

Answer 6

• So that the readings from the meter rule are accurate.