EXPERIMENT 205

HOOKE’S LAW

ABSTRACT

Hooke’s Law is a principle that states that the force needed to extend or compress a spring by
some distance is proportional to that distance. In this experiment, we aim to study the elastic
properties of the spring and the force constant of the spring. We aim to study the relationship
between the deforming force and amount the spring stretches.

KEYWORDS

Elasticity, Hooke’s Law, Longitudinal Strain, Longitudinal Stress

1. INTRODUCTION

Elasticity is the property of an object or material which causes it to be restored to its original
shape after distortion. It is said to be more elastic if it restores itself more precisely to its original
configuration. A rubber band is easy to stretch, and snaps back to near its original length when
released, but it is not as elastic as a piece of piano wire. The piano wire is harder to stretch, but
would be said to be more elastic than the rubber band because of the precision of its return to its
original length.

Hooke’s Law is a law of elasticity discovered by the English scientist Robert Hooke in 1660,
which states that, for relatively small deformations of an object, the displacement or size of the
deformation is directly proportional to the deforming force or load. Under these conditions, the
object returns to its original shape and size upon removal of load. The deforming force may be
applied to a solid by stretching, compressing, or twisting. Thus, a metal wire exhibits elastic
behavior according to Hooke’s Law because the small increase in its length when stretched by an
applied force doubles each time the force is doubled.

Mathematically, Hooke’s Law states that the applied force F equals a constant k times the
displacement or change in length x, or F=kx. The value of k depends not only on the kind of
elastic material under consideration but also on its dimensions and shape.

Hooke’s Law may be also expressed in terms of stress and strain. Stress is the force on unit areas
within a material that develops as a result of the externally applied force. Strain is the relative
deformation produced by stress.

2. MATERIALS AND METHODS

The materials needed for this experiment are 1 set of Hooke’s Law Apparatus, 1 pc 4N/m spring,
1 pc 8N/m spring, 1 pc mass hanger and 1 set of weights. Figure (1) shows a picture of the
materials.

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 Figure 1: (From left to right) 1 set weights,
Hooke’s Law apparatus, 1 pc 8N/m spring, 1 pc
4N/s spring, 1 pc stretch indicator, and 1 pc mass
hanger
Before proceeding with the experiment, there are some reminders towards equipment care. Never
stretch the spring more than twice its resting length, it can permanently damage the spring.

First part of the experiment is setting up the apparatus. The spring was hanged from the notch on
the support arm. The stretch indicator was connected to the bottom of the spring. The clamp on
the support rod was adjusted until the indicator reading is aligned at exactly zero, then the mass
hanger was connected on the bottom of the stretch indicator. Figure (2) and (3) shows the set-up
of the apparatus.

Second part of the experiment is determining the force constant of the spring. To start, a mass of
10 grams was placed on the mass hanger as shown in Figure (4), then the change in displacement
of the spring and the weight of the hanging mass was recorded. The force constant of the spring
was computed using Equation (1).

Figure 2: Set-up apparatus for the Figure 3: Set-up apparatus for the
experiment using 4N/m spring. The experiment using 8N/m spring.
bottom part of the stretch indicator
must be aligned at exactly zero.

F=kx (1)
Where: F = deforming force (N; dynes)
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 x = displacement (m; cm)
k = force constant (N/m; dynes/cm)

Same procedures was made to the next 3 trials and per trial, a 10 gram mass is being added. The
average value of the force constant was determined then plot a force vs. displacement graph. The
percentage difference of the average value of the force constant and slope of the line was
calculated. The procedures was repeated, but this time another spring was used showed in Figure
(5).

Third part of the experiment is determining the work done on the spring. By using the data
gathered in the second part, the total work done in stretching the spring was computed using
Equation (2).

Figure 4: For trial 1, using a 4N/m Figure 5: An 8N/m spring was used
spring, a 10-gram mass was added to for the next trial. A 10-gram was
the mass hanger. The displacement of placed on the mass hanger and its
the spring is 0.018 m displacement is 0.009 m

1
W = k ( x 2f −x 20 ) (2)
2

Where: xf = the displacement in trial 4 of the second part of the experiment

xo = 0

The area under the graph of force vs. displacement was determined and compare the total work
done and area under the graph of force vs. displacement.

3. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

In determining the force constant of the spring, data gathered are shown in Table 1A using 4N/m
spring and Table 1B using 8N/m spring and the sample computations are presented below.

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 Table 1A: Determining the Force Constant of
the Spring
Force
Tria Mass Force Displacement
Constant
l (kg) (N) (m)
(N/m)
1 0.01 0.098 0.018 5.4444
2 0.02 0.196 0.036 5.4444
3 0.03 0.294 0.054 5.4444
4 0.04 0.392 0.073 5.4069
Average 5.4351
Slope of the line 5.3992
% Difference 0.6619 %

F vs. x graph using 4 N/m spring For trial 1, the force constant may be
0.45 0.39 obtained by using Equation (3). The force
0.4 constant for trial 1 is 5.4444 N/m.
0.35 0.29 (3)
F
0.3 K=
Force (N)

4 N/m spring
0.25 0.2 x
0.2 Linear (4 N/m
0.150.1 spring) where F is the value of frce and x is the
0.1 value of the displacement.
0.05
0
0.02 0.04 0.05 0.07 2
F ( 0.01 kg ) (9.8 m/s )
Displacement (m) K= = =5.4444 N /m
x 0.018 m

The average is obtained by getting the sum of all the values of the force constant and dividing it
by 4. The average is 5.4351 N/m

5.4444 +5.4444+5.4444+ 5.4069

Average= =5.4351 N /m
4

The average slope of the line can be obtained by using Equation 4. The slope of the line is 5.39
N/m. The percent difference is 0.6619%.

F 2−F 1 0.392−0.098
Slope= = =5.39 N /m Average Slope=5.3992 N /m
x 2−x 1 0.073−0.018

% Difference=¿ 5.4351−5.3992∨ ¿ ×100 %=0.6619 % ¿

5.4351+5.3992
( )
2

By analysing the graph, it shows that as the force increases, the distance or displacement also
increases. It means that force is directly proportional to its displacement. Same with the results in
Table 1B, the graph represents that the force is directly proportional to the displacement. Thus
forming a straight line.

Sources of error for this part is that the alignment of the stretch indicator was not properly placed
at zero. And the measurement of the displacement was not accurate.

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 Table 1B: Determining the Force Constant of
the Spring
Force
Tria Mass Force Displacement
Constant
l (kg) (N) (m)
(N/m)
1 0.01 0.098 0.009 10.8889
2 0.02 0.196 0.019 10.3158
3 0.03 0.294 0.030 9.8000
4 0.04 0.392 0.037 10.5946
Average 10.3998
Slope of the line 10.2364
% Difference 1.5839 %

F vs. x graph using 8 N/m spring Sample Computations:

0.45 0.39 For trial 1:
0.4
0.35 0.29
0.3
Force (N)

0.25 0.2 8 N/m spring

0.2 Linear (8 N/m
0.150.1 spring)
0.1
0.05
0
0.01 0.02 0.03 0.04
Displacement (m)

2
F ( 0.01 kg ) (9.8 m/s )
K= = =10.8889 N /m
x 0.009 m

10.8889+10.3158+ 9.8000+10.5946
Average= =10.3998 N /m
4

F 2−F 1 0.392−0.098
Slope= = =10.5 N /m Average Slope=10.5 N /m
x 2−x 1 0.073−0.009

% Difference=¿ 10.3998−10.2364∨ ¿ ×100 %=1.5839 % ¿

10.3998+10.2364
( )
2

In determining the work done on the spring, the data gathered are shown in Table 2 and the
sample computations are presented below.

Table 2: Determining the Work Done on the Spring

Final Average Force Area under the
Trial Work (Joule) % Difference
Displacement (m) Constant (N/m) F vs. x graph

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 Table 1A 0.0725 5.4351 0.0143 0.0142 0.5195%
Table 1B 0.0370 10.3998 0.0071 0.0073 1.8555%

The work done can be obtained by using Equation (4). The work done in Table 1A and Table 1B
is 0.0143 J and 0.0071 J respectively.

For table 1A: For table 1B

1 1
Work = ( 5.4351 ) ( 0.07252−0 ) Work = ( 10.3998 ) ( 0.03702 −0 )
2 2

¿ 0.0143 J ¿ 0.0071 J

1
The area under the F vs. x graph, the equation A= bh is used. The area for Table 1A and Table
2
1B is 0.0142 m2 and 0.0073 m2 respectively.

For table 1A: For table 1B:

1 1
Area= ( 0.392 )( 0.0725 ) =0.0142 m2 Area= ( 0.392 )( 0.0370 ) =0.0073 m 2
2 2

For the second part of the experiment, it shows if great the force applied on the spring due to
adding weight, the greater the work done by the spring.

4. CONCLUSIONS

In the first part of the experiment, it shows that the force is directly proportional to the
displacement where if the force increases, the displacement also increases and vice versa. By
looking at the graph, the plotted points are connected with a straight line and the slope is towards
the positive direction. In the second part, it shows that the area under the F vs. x graph is
proportional to the total work done. Error might occur while performing the experiment, one is
that the stretch indicator was not properly aligned at point zero. Another is the measurement of
the displacement because of the spring that is why we removed the mass after we measured for its
displacement so that the spring won’t get loose.

At the end of the experiment, the objectives was attained. We were able to determine the force
constant of the spring and the total work done on the spring when it is being stretched. We were
able to conclude that the force and the displacement is directly proportional to each other.

5. REFERENCES

Hooke’s Law. (n.d.). Retrieved from

http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/271336/Hookes-law

Stress & Strain. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://physicsnet.co.uk/a-level-physics-as-

a2/materials/stress-strain/

Elasticity and Hooke’s Law. (n.d). Retrieved from http://hyperphysics.phy-

astr.gsu.edu/hbase/permot2.html
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