Physics Lab Report – Hooke's Law

-Felix Sonsun and Mehul Sharma

Aim: To find the spring constant of the given spring using Hooke’s Law and explore the correlation
between the force applied and extension of a spring
Apparatus: Spring, Small weights (ranging from 50g – 250g), Clamp stand, Metre rule
Procedure: - The metre rule is attached to the clamp stand securely and the spring is fastened at the top of
the metre rule, so that the start of the metre rule and the spring are the same.
- The length of the spring is then measured and recorded in a table.
- The small weights are then attached to the spring, starting with 50g and the extension is measured and
recorded. The extension is recorded approximately 15 seconds after placing the weight on the spring
before measuring the extension, to allow better accuracy of value. This step is repeated by increasing the
weights by 20g; 70g, 90g, 110g, 130g and 150g.
- Now, the experiment is repeated to get a second value of extension for the same weights attached to the
spring.
- Then the average extension is calculated by averaging the extension values measured and recorded.
- And a graph is drawn with Average Extension/cm (dependent variable - y axis) against Force/N
(independent variable – x axis) using the values recorded in the table.
- The spring constant is then found out using the Hooke’s Law equation that states F=ke, and so k=F/e.
Therefore, the gradient of the graph drawn shows the reciprocal of the value of k, and so to find the spring
constant from the graph, the gradient is reciprocated.
- Thus, after obtaining the k values for each force and extension, they are averaged to find the spring
constant of the spring. And from this the correlation between the force and extension of the spring is
evaluated.

Mass/kg Force/N Extension/cm Average

1st value 2nd value extension/cm
1. 0 0 15.0 15.0 15.00
2. 0.050 0.49 17.8 17.9 17.85
3. 0.070 0.69 19.0 19.1 19.05
4. 0.090 0.88 20.4 20.3 20.35
5. 0.110 1.08 21.7 21.6 21.65
6. 0.130 1.28 23.2 23.2 23.20
7. 0.150 1.47 24.8 24.9 24.85
 Force/N 0 0.49 0.69 0.88 1.08 1.28 1.47
Extension/cm 15.00 17.85 19.05 20.35 21.65 23.20 24.85
Spring 0 0.027 0.036 0.043 0.050 0.055 0.059
constant
(k)/Ncm-1

Average k value = (0.027 + 0.036 + 0.043 + 0.050 + 0.055 + 0.059)/6 = 0.045

Conclusion: From the graph obtained we can clearly see that the force applied is proportional to the
Extension of the spring and by calculating the average of the spring constant we get, k = 0.045 Ncm-1.