Hooke's Law

PHYS 1313
Introduction
The elastic properties of matter are involved in many physical phenomena. When matter
is deformed (compressed, twisted, stretched, et cetera) and the deformin forces are
s!fficiently small, the material will ret!rn to its oriinal shape when the deformin forces
are removed. "n s!ch cases, the deformation is said to ta#e place within the elastic limit
of the material, i.e., there is no permanent deformation. The sliht stretchin of a r!$$er
$and is an e%ample of an elastic deformation. Steel wires, concrete col!mns, metal $eams
and rods and other material o$&ects can also !ndero elastic deformations. 'or many
materials, it is appro%imately tr!e that when the material is stretched or compressed, the
resistin or restorin force that tends to ret!rn the material to its oriinal shape is
proportional to the amo!nt of the deformation $!t points in a direction opposite to the
stretch or compression. This ideali(ed $ehavior of matter is called Hooke's Law. Today)s
la$ will allow yo! to test the acc!racy of Hoo#e)s law for a simple o$&ect, a sprin.
Simplified Theory
Hoo#e)s *aw is the statement that the restorin force actin on an o$&ect is proportional
to the neative of the displacement (deformation) of the o$&ect. "n sym$ols,
F + -k x (1)
Here, F is the restorin force provided $y whatever is $ein stretched (or s,!ee(ed), x is
the displacement of the thin $ein stretched (or s,!ee(ed)., and k is the constant of
proportionality. The neative sin (-) is important and &!st says that the restorin force is
opposite in direction to the displacement. 'or e%ample, if a sprin is stretched $y
somethin in a certain direction, the sprin will e%ert a restorin force on that somethin
$!t in the opposite direction. .,!ation (1) also says that for an o$&ect which o$eys
Hoo#e)s law (s!ch as a sprin), the more it is stretched or s,!ee(ed, the reater will $e
the restorin force s!pplied $y the o$&ect on whatever is doin the stretchin or the
s,!ee(in. /n applied force (F) actin on o!r 0Hoo#ean1 o$&ect will ca!se it to $e
displaced (stretched or s,!ee(ed) $y some amo!nt (x). The ratio of the chane in applied
force (F) and the chane in the res!ltin displacement (x) is called the spring
constant (k) and can $e written as follows2
k + (3)
Today)s e%periment will test this relationship for a lare sprin. 4y hanin different
masses from the sprin we can control the amo!nt of force actin on it. We can then
meas!re for each applied weiht the amo!nt that the sprin 5stretches.1 Since .,!ation
1
(1) is the e,!ation for a straiht line, a raph of F (the weiht) vers!s x (the 5stretch5)
will sho!ld yield a line with slope k . .,!ation (3) tells !s the same thin and its
appearance sho!ld remind yo! of how to comp!te the slope of a straiht line.
Procedure
1. "nstall a ta$le rod with a rod clamp near its top. S!spend a helical sprin from the
clamp with the lare end !p.
3. /ttach a 67 weiht hoo# with a 67 slot mass on it to the sprin. 8ecord the initial
mass of 177 as m
1
. The parameter m will represent the total mass on the sprin.
3. Place the meter stic# vertically alonside the hanin mass. 9eas!re the elonation
of the sprin and record it as x
1
. /lways $e s!re to meas!re startin at the same place,
either on the ta$le or on the clamp.
:. /dd a 67 slot mass to the hoo# and record m
2
(167 ). 8ead the meter stic# and
record x
2
. 8epeat, findin x
3
, x
4
, x
5
, and x
6
with total masses 377 , 367 , 377 ,
and 367 . 8ecord all the masses and elonations on the form provided.
Calculation:
1. ;onvert all masses to <ewtons and all meter stic# readins to meters.
3. Plot all the data on the raph paper. F will $e plotted in the vertical direction, while x
will $e plotted in the hori(ontal direction. Lael the a%es of yo!r raph and incl!de
units.
3. Ta#e a straiht ede and draw a single 5$est fit5 line thro!h all the data points.
:. 9eas!re the 5rise over r!n5 (the slope) of this line. This is yo!r e%perimental val!e
for the sprin constant. "n what !nits sho!ld k $e reported=
6. To determine a ro!h standard deviation. >raw a line that represents either a
ma%im!m slope or minim!m slope. ;alc!late this slope. The estimated !ncertainty will
$e the a$sol!te val!e of the difference $etween the $est slope and the
!uestions
2
1. ;onsider a set of two identical sprins each of sprin constant k connected in parallel
(side $y side) to a sinle mass. What wo!ld yo! e%pect the total sprin constant to $e of
the system= Why= (Hint2 thin# a$o!t the sprin force as a vector.) SH?W
;/*;@*/T"?<
M
k k

". *oo# at how m!ch the points scatter aro!nd yo!r 5$est fit5 line. The more they scatter,
the poorer the precision. What are the so!rces of error for yo!r data points and what is the
relevance of these errors in yo!r determination of k=
Conclusion:
Yo!r concl!sion sho!ld answer these ,!estions pl!s add yo!r own concl!sions.
1. Write down yo! eneral concl!sions for this e%periment. These concl!sions sho!ld
incl!de the val!e of the sprin constant k and an estimate of its error.
3. >id yo!r plotted data form a straiht line= >oes the data from another shape, perhaps
a para$ola=
3. 8ather than a $est fit line, connect the dotAs with a smooth c!rve, what does this tell
yo! a$o!t the sprin= Where in the c!rve does it $est represent a line=
3
Hooke's Law
#stract
4
$ata
n x M F + mg
1
3
3
:
6
B
%raph Separately.
&ind k from graph.
k =
Standard >eviation +
5