Waves, Oscillations, & Acoustics: Mass on a Spring

PIRA Class: 3A20.10

Purpose:

To demonstrate the simple harmonic motion of a mass on a spring.

Description:

Mass, suspended from a spring, oscillates slowly up and down.

Choose a mass such that its frequency is slow enough to make basic observations, yet heavy enough to prevent motion from dampening out too quickly.

VARIATIONS:

- Hang the same mass from two springs hung parallel

- Hang the same mass from two springs hung in series

-Use PASCO's motion detector (& Science Workshop computer interface) to analysis the real-time motion of the mass. (x vs. t, v vs. t, and a vs. t).

-For large classrooms, use a mass suspended from a modified slinky hung from the classroom ceiling.

Mass-on-a-Spring Applet: Plots displacement, velocity, (restoring) force, acceleration of a mass on a spring. You can vary the mass, amplitude, and spring constant http://home.a-city.de/walter.fendt/phe/springpendulum.htm

Equipment:

Various springs, masses

Support Equipment:

Spring stand 

Location:

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