Hookes Law Lab Make-Up

Look to the rubric for more information on what is required in your lab report.
Your report must be typed & printed to receive full credit.

Purpose: To develop Hookes Law using an extension/load graph.

Apparatus: PhET Masses & Springs simulation

Procedure: (This procedure is not detailed enough for your lab report. You need to include more
information. You do not need to include steps for logging into the computer in your report.)
1. Google Phet Simulation Masses & Springs. Click on the image of the simulation.
2. Move the friction slider to Lots. When you hang a mass on the spring, wait until it stops
moving before you measure anything.
3. If you want to change the softness of spring 3, you can. But make sure that you then use spring 3
for the entire lab. Do not change the softness after you have started taking data. Your apparatus
should include which setting you used for the spring.
4. Hang various masses from the spring, recording the initial & total length of the spring for
each mass. You should record data for all labeled masses.
5. Calculate the stretch/extension of the spring for each trial. Record this information in a
separate table. This will go in the calculations section of your lab report.
6. Create a graph with your data & create a line of best fit (either draw one or use a computer
program). You will need to find the equation of that line, so either use a computer program
or make sure your drawn graph is very accurate.
Data: (include units!)
Mass (____) Initial Spring Length (____) Final Spring Length (____)
 Hookes Law Lab Make-Up

Evaluation of Data:
1. Calculations
a. Give a formula for how to calculate the stretch of the spring from the measured data.
Provide a table with the calculated results. (Dont forget to include a formula for any
conversions that you do.)
b. Give a formula for how to calculate the weight of the mass. (Dont forget to include a
formula for any conversions that you do.)
Extension/Stretch of the Spring (m) Weight (N)

2. Graph
a. Include the graph you emailed to yourself. Your graph should have appropriate
labels & units on all axes. It should also have an appropriate title.
b. You should state the equation of the line with units. Ask Mrs. McKeon if you need
help doing this.
3. 5% Rule
a. Work for 5% Rule is shown: The 5% Rule is used to determine if your y-intercept is
significant. If the y-intercept is more than 5% then it is important. If it is less than
5%, then it is negligible and in the conclusion, you do not include it in the final
equation. To calculate it, take 5% of the biggest y value. This number is the cutoff
point. Example: your y-intercept is 6, your y-max value is 100. The 5% rule has the
cutoff at 0.05*100 = 5. Because your y-intercept is 6 and it is more than the 5%
number of 5, it is significant. Calculate the 5% rule and determine if your y-intercept
is significant.
0.05 x _______= ____ (< or >) b= ________ significant or nonsignificant

Conclusion/Analysis:
1. Include the equation from your graph and describe what the variables mean. Define new
vocabulary: spring constant, Hookes Law
2. Discuss the physical meaning of the slope of the graph. Discuss how the spring would be
different if the slope was bigger/smaller.
3. Discuss your y-intercept & use the 5% rule to determine if it was significant or not. Discuss
what the y-intercept physically means for the spring. I.e. what is the spring doing at the y-
intercept?
4. Give possible sources of error. Be specific. See the rubric for more information.
5. State real-life applications for springs & how the spring constant applies to that situation.