SPRINGS
1. EFFECTS OF FORCES ON SHAPE AND SIZE
a) Forces can increase size of an object (eg a pull on a spring by a force can increase its
length).
b) Forces can change shape of an object (can you think of an example?)
Let’s use a spring to show how forces can change size of an object.
Natural length of the spring below is 4.0cm
Natural or original length means length of spring with no load on it or when it is not stretched.
4.0cm
6.5cm
9.0cm
e=0 13.0cm
Force = 7N
e = 2.5cm
Force = 14N
e = 5.0cm
Force = 28N
e = 9.0cm
Sometimes the force causing extension is referred to as load and is measured in Newtons (N).
EXPERIMENT TO INVESTIGATE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN LOAD AND EXTENSION OF A SPRING:
(Investigating Hooke's law)
Every GCE student must know that if you suspend a spring and attach a load to it, then the spring
will increase in length.
This increase in length is called extension.
The aim of the experiment is to establish if there is any relationship between the amount of load
added to the spring and its increase in length (extension).
i) Materials required: Finding weight from the mass given:
W =mg
• Retort stand
• Spring a) mass = 5kg
b) 600g
• Mass hanger (100g / W=1N) W = mg
W = mg
• 4 x 100g mass slots or 6 x 50g mass slots = 5kg x 10N/kg
4N = 0.6kg x 10N/kg
= 50N
= 6N
ii) Procedure:
• Hang a spring on the retort stand and measure and record the spring’s natural/original
length.
• Add the mass hanger which has a mass of 100g. You will notice that the length of the
spring increases.
• Measure the new length and record it.
• Increase the load on the spring by adding one hundred mass slot such that the spring has
a load of 200g. Measure the new length of the spring and record it.
• Repeat the above step by continuously adding 100g mass slots such that the spring
supports a load of 300g, 400g & 500g and each time, measure and record new length.
• By now you should have a set of six results.
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Origional length
complete the table below.
mass/kg force/N length/cm extension/cm
0.0 0 6.0 0.0
0.1 1 8.4
2.4
0.2 2 10.8 4.8
0.3 3 13.4 7.4
0.4 4 15.6 9.6
0.5 5 17.8 11.8
What precaution did you take to ensure that your results are as accurate as possible?
ANALYSIS OF RESULTS:
Use your results to plot a graph of Force, F (y-axis) against extension, e (x-axis). [4]
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Calculate the gradient, G. [2] Gradient of the graph gives the force constant (k)
You can now notice that the plot of force against extension for a spring gives a straight
line.
We say extension is directly proportional to the force applied.
i.e. F ά E (Hooke’s law)
Q: What does this mean?
This means when the force doubles, the extension also doubles
when the force tripples, the extension also tripples........ etc
Q: Use Hooke’s law to calculate the unknown in the diagrams below. The first one has
been done for you.
a)
6cm
9cm
m F1 = e1
F2 e2
12 = 3
F : e 18 X
12 : 3 F1= 12N
18 : X
e1= L-Lo
12X = 18x3 = 9-6 F=18N
12X = 54 =3cm
e2=?
X = 4.5cm
e2 = 4.5cm
F = ke F = ke
12 = k x 3 18 = 4 x e2
This means 18N has extended the 12 = 3k e2 = 4.5cm
spring by 4.5cm. k =4N/cm
This means:
m = Lo + e2
m = Lo + e = 6cm + 4.5cm
= 6cm + 4.5cm
= 10.5cm
= 10.5cm
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b)
4cm
7cm
X = 13.75cm
X
8N
26N
c)
3cm
F = 15N
7cm
F : e 13cm
6 : 4
F : 10
F x 4 = 6 x 10 6N
4F = 60
F = 15N
F
d)
8cm
Y
21.5cm
12N
18N
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a) A spring of natural length 2cm increases in length to 6cm due to a load of 5N. If a load of 22.5N
is applied to the spring, what will be the:
i) Extension produced?
ii) New length?
MORE ON EXTENSIONS OF SPRINGS.
Sometimes you must perform calculations even though the natural length is not given.
In the diagram below, you may be asked to calculate the value of y as well as the natural length. Can
you?
χ
6.5cm
8.5cm
11.5cm Y
4N
10N
I'm going to use 1 & 2 to find Lo 1st. 12N
F : e
4 : 8.5 - Lo
10 : 11.5 - Lo
10(8.5-Lo) = 4(11.5-Lo)
85 - 10Lo = 46 - 4Lo
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85 - 46 = -4Lo + 10Lo
39 = 6Lo
6.5cm = Lo
Parent nucleus Daughter nuclei
8g 2
E = mC
7g 5g (energy
20g
Calculate natural length for each of the diagrams below, as well as the values of X, Y, and F.
1.
8cm
10cm
2N X
6N
12N
2.
12cm
5N 24cm
12N
20N
3.
8cm
14cm 18cm
12N
18N
4. What assumption did you make to answer the questions above?
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SPRINGS IN SERIES AND IN PARALLEL
2 springs in parallel spring 1
2 springs in series
spring 2
Conduct an experiment to see effect of forces on:
➢ One spring (like you did before)
➢ two springs in series
➢ two springs in parallel
1 spring 2 springs in parallel 2 springs in series
F/N L/cm e/cm L/cm e/cm L/cm e/cm
0 4 0 4 0 8 0
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Conclusions:
For 1 spring:
For 2 springs in parallel:
For 2 springs in series:
Use the conclusions to work out solutions for the following questions.
Q1. A spring has a natural length of 6cm. A load of 5N increases length of the spring to 9cm.
a) What load would be required to increase the length to 10.5cm?
load = .....................
b) What load would be required to increase the length by 6cm?
load = .....................
c) What would be the length of the spring with a load of 15N?
length = .................
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d) What would be the extension on the spring with a load of 10N?
extension = ....................
e) What will be the new length if 2 such springs are connected:
a) in parallel to a load of 20N?
length = ..................
iii) In series to a load of 10N?
length = ..................
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LIMIT OF PROPORTIONALITY, L (Elastic limit)
It has already been established that for a spring extension is directly proportional to the load applied.
Let us now investigate a situation whereby there is too much load added to the spring.
When loaded, length of the spring increases.
When the load is removed, the spring goes back to natural length.
However, every spring has an elastic limit, L.
This means that there is a maximum amount of load that a spring can hold without it being damaged/
permanently stretched.
Spring had more load than its elastic limit hence it is permanently stretched
Limit of proportionality means maximum amount of load that the spring (or any other elastic material)
can hold without being permanently stretched.
After limit of proportionality, the graph is no longer a straight line indicating that Hooke’s law is no longer
obeyed.
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L is our limit of proportionality
This means that Hooke’s law was obeyed from 0 to 5.5N
After 5.5N Hooke’s law was no longer obeyed.
Q1. What is the extension due to a load of 1.5N?
Q2. What load is required to produce an extension of 5.0cm?
Q3. If two such springs are connected in parallel:
a) what load would be required to reach L?
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b) what extension would be produced when L is reached?
Q4. If two such springs are connected in series:
a) what load would be required to reach L?
b) what extension would be produced when L is reached?
Q5. Complete the table below and if possibly, plot three graphs (for 1, 2 and 3 springs) of extension
against force applied on the same graph paper. (label the graphs clearly)
1 spring 2 springs in 2 springs in
parallel series
F/N
L/cm e/cm L/cm e/cm L/cm e/cm
0 7 0 7 0 14 0
1 9 2
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