FAKULTI TEKNOLOGI DAN KEJURUTERAAN

ELEKTRONIK DAN KOMPUTER

UNIVERSITI TEKNIKAL MALAYSIA MELAKA

TECHNICAL PHYSICS

BERE 1013 SEMESTER 1 SESI 2023/2024

LAB 2: HOOKE’S LAW

NO. STUDENTS' NAME MATRIC. NO.

1. AINA BALQIS BINTI MUHAMMAD SYAFIQ B122310078

2. RAJASRI A/P RAVI CHANDRAN B122310167

3.

PROGRAMME BERT

SECTION /
1/1
GROUP

DATE 30.11.2023

1. DR NAJMIAH
NAME OF
INSTRUCTOR(S)
2.

EXAMINER’S COMMENT(S) TOTAL MARKS

Rev Date Author(s) Description
.
No.

1.0 30 Jan 1. Khairul Anuar Bin A 1. Update to new UTeM logo

2019 Rahman 2. Update faculty's name
3. Change "course" to
"programme".
4. Remove verification stamp.

2.0 2 Sep 1. Dr. Fara Ashikin Binti 1. Revise procedure.

2019 Ali
2. Gloria Raymond
Tanny

3.0 27 Jul 1. Ts. Fakhrullah bin 1. Revise equipment

2020 Idris 2. Revise procedure
2. Win Adiyansyah

4.0 9 Okt 1. Raeihah Binti Mohd 1. Revise semester session.

2020 Zain 2. Revise synopsis and theory.
3. Revise figure numbering.

5.0 14 Okt 1. Azrin bin Ahmad 1. Revise procedures to use

2020 online simulation for data
collection.

6.0 16 Okt 1. Raeihah Binti Mohd 1. Revise procedure

2020 Zain 2. Revise figure numbering
3. Revise table for results
4. Revise questions

7.0 11 Aug 1. Ts. Fakhrullah bin 1. Revise objectives.

2022 Idris 2. Revise procedures.
2. Najmiah Radiah binti 3. Revise table for results.
Mohamad 4. Revise questions.

8.0 25 Okt 1. Ts. Fakhrullah bin 1. Revise procedures.

2023 Idris 2. Revise table for results.
2. Najmiah Radiah binti 3. Revise questions.
Mohamad
1.0 OBJECTIVES

1. To measure elongation of the spring according to Hooke’s Law.

2. To investigate the characteristics of the spring with parallel and series connection.
3. To determine the spring constant, k when an external load changes its equilibrium
length by x that can be described by Hooke’s Law, F. = -kx.

Here :
 F is the restoring force or the force exerted by the spring on the external agent.
 k is a proportionality constant characteristic of the “stiffness” of the spring and is
often referred to as the spring constant.
 We will also study the response of springs when they are connected in series
and in parallel. Furthermore, it will be demonstrated that systems described by
Hooke’s Law give rise to oscillatory, simple harmonic motion.

2.0 EQUIPMENT:

1. Set of spring (S1, S2, S3 & S4)

2. Set of slotted weights (1N & 5N)
3. Weight hanger
4. Stand with support rod
5. Meter ruler

3.0 SYNOPSIS & THEORY

a) Single spring

X
F
m

mg

Figure 1 Single spring

From the free-body diagram in equilibrium state as in Figure 1, force can be written as:
 F = - mg = - kx (symbols in bold type are vectors) (1)

where x is the displacement from the natural equilibrium length of the vertical spring.
Because F = mg = kx, k can be determined as the slope from the graph of Load, F,
vs. Elongation, x.

When force is applied to a spring, the resulting extension or compression of the spring
maintains a linear relationship with the applied force. This relationship manifests itself
as in (2):

F=kΔx
(2)

where F is the applied force, Δx is the extension or compression of the spring and k is
the spring constant.

The following sample graph of force and extension (or compression) yields a linear
slope defined as the spring constant:

Slope = Spring constant, k

Figure 2 Graph Load, F, vs. Elongation, x

Generally, there are two types of spring which are tension spring and compression
spring. Tension springs are mainly used to hold two components together whereas
compression springs are used to keep components from meeting. Both springs have a
coil spring design for strength and elasticity however they are used in entirely different
ways. For this experiment, the tension spring will be used as shown in Figure 3.
 Figure 3 Types of spring

b) Spring connected in parallel

k1x k2x

mg

Figure 4: Parallel spring

Springs connected in parallel are shown in Figure 4. Using the free body diagram,
k1x + k2x = mg = kpx (3)
kp = k1 + k2

where, kp is the effective spring constant of the two parallel springs.

c) Spring connected in series

k1

k2x k1x

k2

mg k2x = mg

Figure 5: Series spring

Springs connected in series are shown in Figure 5. Using the FBD for the spring with
spring constant k2 in Figure 5,
k2x2 = mg or x2 = mg / k2 (4)

Similarly, for the other spring:

k1x1 = k1x1 = mg or x1 = mg / k1 (5)

The total displacement for the series combination is x = x1 + x2

Thus, we can calculate the effective spring constant ks for the series combination:
ks (x1 + x2) = mg (6)

Substituting for x1, x2 from equations (6), the following expression results:
ks (mg / k1 + mg / k2) = mg
1/ks = 1/k1+ 1/k2 (7)

Figure 6 shows the simple calculation of same springs connected in series and parallel.
 Figure 6: Example of spring constant, k based on springs combination

4.0 PROCEDURE

Part A: Tension spring

Figure 4: Tension spring experiment equipment

1. Suspend the tension spring S1 from the support rod as shown in Figure 4.
2. Place the meter ruler on the table (the meter readings decrease downward) and
align it along the length of the spring.
3. Enter this as L0 (free/unloaded length) in data Table 1.
 4. Suspend the hanger from the free end of the spring and note the pointer position
– this is entered as L1 in Table 1.
5. Add a 1N mass to the hanger and enter the pointer position as L2.
6. Keep adding masses in increments of 1N until all entries in the table are filled.
7. Repeat the same step using another tension spring S2.
8. Repeat the same step using another tension spring S3 using the 5N weight.

Part B: Tension springs connected in parallel

1. Suspend the springs S2 and S3 in parallel from the support rod as shown in
Figure 4.
2. Repeat the same step in part A using mass and record the measurements in
Table 5.

Part C: Tension springs connected in series

1. Suspend the springs S2 and S3 in series from the support rod as shown in
Figure 5.
2. Repeat the same step in part A using mass and record the measurements in
Table 6.

5.0 EXPERIMENT DATA AND RESULT

Part A: Tension spring constant

Table 1: Tension spring constant, k1

Spring load in grams
No. Pointer position (mm) Extension L (mm)
(suspended load, N)
1 0N 557mm L0-L0=0
2 1N 456mm L0-L1=101
3 2N 353mm L0-L2=204
4 3N 250mm L0-L3=370
5 4N 172mm L0-L4=385

Table 2: Tension spring constant, k2

Spring load in grams
No. Pointer position (mm) Extension L (mm)
(suspended load, N)
1 0N 588mm L0-L0=0
2 1N 588mm L0-L1=0
3 2N 588mm L0-L2=0
4 4N 586mm L0-L3=2
5 6N 570mm L0-L4=18

Table 3: Tension spring constant, k3

 Spring load in grams
No. Pointer position (mm) Extension L (mm)
(suspended load, N)
1 0N 585 L0-L0=0
2 5N 584 L0-L1=1
3 10N 584 L0-L2=1
4 15N 575 L0-L3=10
5 20N 560 L0-L4=25

Part B: Tension springs connected in parallel

Table 5: Parallel spring constant, kp1

Spring load in grams
No. Pointer position (mm) Extension L (mm)
(suspended load, N)
1 0N 594 L0-L0=0
2 5N 589 L0-L1=5
3 10N 586 L0-L2=8
4 15N 584 L0-L3=10
5 20N 576 L0-L4=18

Part C: Tension springs connected in series, spring constant, k s

Table 6: Series spring constant, ks1

Spring load in grams
No. Pointer position (mm) Extension L (mm)
(suspended load, N)
1 0N 536 L0-L0=0
2 1N 535 L0-L1=1
3 2N 534 L0-L2=2
4 4N 533 L0-L3=3
5 6N 518 L0-L4=18

6.0 QUESTIONS AND DISCUSSIONS

1. Plot a graph of Applied Force, F [N] vs. Extension of spring, L [mm], using
Microsoft Excel. Your plots should be well labeled. For a plot to be well labeled, the
label along an axis should indicate the parameter, with appropriate units, being
plotted. The graph should indicate the source of the data being plotted.
2. What is the value of all spring constant (slope in N/mm)?

3. For Part B and Part C, calculate the value below using Hooke’s law
a. Tension springs connected in parallel, effective spring constant, kp

Kp= K2 + K3
= 0.2581+0.6509
= 0.909

b. Tension springs connected in series, effective spring constant, ks

k2 k3
ks=
k2 + k3

( 0.2581 ) (0.6509)
¿
0.2581+ 0.6509

= 0.1848

4. Determine the percentage difference of parallel spring constant between the first
combination, kp1, and effective spring constant, kp.

k p 1−k p
∆ k ( %) = ×10 0
kp

1.1593−0.909
∆ k ( %) = × 10 0
0.909

=27.535%
 5. Determine the percentage difference of series spring constant between the
first combination, ks1, and effective spring constant, ks.

k s 1−k s
∆ k ( %) = ×100
ks

0.281−0.1848
∆ k ( %) = × 100
0.1848

= 52.056%

7.0 CONCLUSION

State your conclusion of this experiment.

-From this experiment, we can learn about Hooke’s Law. Based on hooke’s law, we
can identify that we can measure the elongation of the spring. In addition, we can
also investigate the characteristics of the spring with parallel and series connection.
Through parallel and series connection, we can differentiate the reading for each
spring used with the size of the spring used and the length reading measured.
Then, we can determine the spring constant, k when an external load changes its
equilibrium length by x that can be described by Hooke’s Law, F. = -kx. Through
this experiment, the thickness of the spring affects the length of the spring that can
be pulled by a weight with a certain weight.