Boldt, Swigart, Waite, Wettstein 1

Simple Harmonic Motion

Problem Statement:

Find which factors determine the period of a simple oscillating spring.

Hypothesis:

Spring length and Mass will have the only significant effects on the period of the

oscillating mass.

Materials:
Meter Stick
Vernier Motion Sensor
Vernier LabQuest Mini
(3) Cardboard squares with hole at center (20x20 cm, 15x15 cm, 10x10 cm)
(3) Hooked metal springs (23 cm, 19.25 cm, 14 cm)
500 gram mass
(2) 200 gram mass
Hooked platform
Paper containing sleeve

Procedure:

1. Randomize the order of trials, then insert a standard trial at the beginning, middle, and end of
the new order. Connect a laptop to the LabQuest Mini and open the LabQuest software.

2. Place the Vernier Motion Sensor, facing upward, onto a level surface underneath the
attachment point on the ceiling. Connect the sensor to the LabQuest Mini.

3. Gather the materials for the high and low values of the variables needed for the trial.

4. Pass the cardboard damper over the top of the hooked platform and slide it to the base.

5. Place the necessary mass over the damper on the platform.

6. Slide the containing sleeve over the masses to prevent them from falling off the platform.

7. Attach the spring to the ceiling, then hook the bottom of the spring to the top of the hooked
platform. Allow to come to rest.
 Boldt, Swigart, Waite, Wettstein 2

8. When the entire setup is at rest, use the meter stick to determine how far the setup is from the
ceiling. Raise the setup by the amplitude, start recording with the LabQuest software, and
release the setup.

9. The software should plot a sine wave of data. If it does not, there was an error in the trial and
it should be redone.

10. Find the time between three or four of the peaks or valleys of the wave. Divide the time by
one less than the number of peaks or valleys to find the average period of the wave.

11. Repeat steps 3-10 for all trials.

Table 1
DOE High, Standard, and Low Values
Factors (+) Values Standards (-) Values

Length of Spring 23 19.25 14

(cm)

Area of Damper 200 225 100

(cm², cm) 20x20 15x15 10x10

Mass (g) 900 700 500

Amplitude (cm) 5 3 1

Table 1, above, shows the high, standard, and low values for each of the four variables of

the experiment. The “Area of Damper” row shows two values, the surface area and the

dimensions of the damper. The mass is displayed in grams. The amplitude and spring length are

both displayed in centimeters

 Boldt, Swigart, Waite, Wettstein 3

Diagrams:

Figure 1. Experimental Setup

Figure 1, above, shows the setup for a trial. The hooked platform is a flat disk with a

hooked center rod that is meant to be the core for the other pieces. The damper simply slides

over the hook and onto the disk. The masses each have a channel cut to their sides that allows

them to slide onto the setup easily but also makes them more prone to sliding off, making the

containing sleeve necessary. The spring can hook to the setup and to the ceiling.
 Boldt, Swigart, Waite, Wettstein 4

Conclusion​:

After interpreting the results of the experiment, the hypothesis was accepted. Both spring

length and mass were observed to have the largest effect on the period of the oscillating spring.

When conducting analysis of the factors in this Design of Experiment, the effect of mass - or the

slope between its high and low average - was found to be 0.2164 seconds, and the effect of

spring length was found to be 0.1638 seconds. These were significantly higher than the other

values, amplitude and damper size, which both had an effect value of less than 0.1 seconds. They

were also higher than all interaction effect values, which test to see if any of the variables had an

effect on each other. These low values indicate that the variables operated independently of each

other. For example, a change in mass does not change the length of the spring.

According to sciencing.com, the period of oscillation is directly related to the attached

mass. Thus, as mass increases, so should the length of the period. Such an increase was visible in

calculating the effect value for mass, as its low average was 0.8741 seconds and its high average

was 1.0905 seconds. On average, an increase in mass did coincide with an increase in period

length in this experiment.

As seen on futurelearn.com, the spring constant, K, is inversely related to spring length.

So, a short spring will have a large constant and a long spring will have a small constant. The

spring constant is also inversely related to period length. Therefore, there is a direct relationship

between spring length and period length. This is reflected in the data. When calculating the effect

of spring length, the short had an average period of 0.9004 seconds, while the long spring had an

average period of 1.0642 seconds.

 Boldt, Swigart, Waite, Wettstein 5

This experiment ran mostly without error, though some improvement is possible. In two

trials, the motion sensor read the grate that was covering it instead of the hanging mass. A design

with components that could be locked in place would solve this issue. For the sake of

consistency, a meter stick could also be added in one set location instead of being held up by the

experimenter. This could potentially lead to less variable data.

 Boldt, Swigart, Waite, Wettstein 6

Works Cited

FutureLearn. “Hooke's Law and the Stiffness of Springs.” ​FutureLearn​,

www.futurelearn.com/courses/maths-power-laws/0/steps/12143.

Perdue, Matthew. “The Factors That Might Affect the Period of Oscillation.” ​Sciencing​, 2 Mar.

2019, sciencing.com/factors-might-affect-period-oscillation-8437461.html.