Everett Cannon

Mr. Yackuboskey
AP Physics 1
6 December 2019
Spring Constant in Cart Lab
Materials:
 Dynamics Cart with Internal Spring
 Ramp with stopper and leveling legs
 Vernier Motion sensor to interface with logger PRO
 Meterstick
 Cell phone
 Digital scale
Procedure:
1. Set up ramp and measure the angle of the incline, measure the height at the bottom of the
ramp. Measure the mass of the cart using a scale
2. Place the cart at the bottom the ramp and trip the spring, stop the cart at the maximum
height on the ramp and measure the height, calculate the difference between the starting
height and max height.
3. Repeat step two a total of five times to reduce experimental error
4. Add two weights to the cart and repeat steps 2 and 3.
5. Repeat step 4 and complete the experiment with a new total of 4 weights.
Total Mass of Cart - 1 Initial height (ho) Final height (h) Spring compression (x)
.51kg 8.5cm 11cm 2.8cm
.51kg 8.5cm 11.1cm 2.8cm
.51kg 8.5cm 11cm 2.8cm
.51kg 8.5cm 10.9cm 2.8cm
.51kg 8.5cm 11.2cm 2.8cm
Data:

Total Mass of Cart - 2 Initial height (ho) Final height (h) Spring compression (x)
.76kg 8.5cm 10.1cm 2.8cm
.76kg 8.5cm 10.2cm 2.8cm
.76kg 8.5cm 10.2cm 2.8cm
.76kg 8.5cm 10.5cm 2.8cm
.76kg 8.5cm 10.4cm 2.8cm

Analysis:
Equation: K= 2mgh/x^2
Mass of cart: .26 kg/.51kg/.76kg
Spring compression: .028m
Avg change in height: .045m
K for .26kg= 298N/m
K for .51kg= 330N/m
K for .76kg= 345N/m