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W
e cannot hope for a new generation of scientists spring, a brass weight, and an ultrasonic position sensor, as
and engineers if we don’t let our young students shown in Fig. 1. Pulling the brass weight down a little bit, and
take ownership of their scientific and engineering then releasing it, will start the oscillation. Due to very small
explorations, if we don’t let them enjoy the hands-on cycle of frictional forces, the amplitude of the observed SHM will
design and production, and if we don’t let them implant their slowly decrease in time, but we can neglect this effect when
creativity into a technologically friendly environment. With we analyze just a few cycles.
this educational philosophy in mind, Massimo Banzi1 and We have used springs specially made for the study of
his team have developed and popularized the open source Hooke’s law. One good supplier of such springs is Home Sci-
Arduino microcontroller board. The Arduino board has ence Tools ($1.95, http://www.hometrainingtools.com). We
helped countless people in their science, electronics, robot- have also used a brass weight holder with a base diameter of
ics, or engineering projects, allowing them to build things 4.4 cm and brass slotted weights. The computerized data col-
example code for how to use the PING))) sensor. This code is
Geoffrey Esper is an electronics instructor at Bay Path Reg. Voc. Tec. High
School. He has a BS and MA degree in physics from Clark University.
Fig. 5. Experimental investigation of Hooke’s law. Bay Path Reg. Voc. Tec. High School, 57 Old Muggett Hill Rd.,
Charlton, MA 01507; GEsper@baypath.net
be used to calculate the elastic constant of the spring:
k = m(2.p/T)2 < 16.75 N/m.