EXPERIMENT 2

AIM
To find the force constant of a helical spring by plotting graph between load and
extension.
WHAT YOU REQUIRE
A long 30 cm) spring made of thin tempered steel
(about
wire; an iron stand with a heavy base, nearly
long rod and two clamps; pointer-maybe a of
1 m
just piece rigid metal wire; feviquick; a half metre a
with 6-7 slotted weights of 20 rule;
hanger
g each; a mirror strip and a of pair pliers.

HOW TO SET-UP THE APPARATUS

)Place the iron-stand on the table.
(i) Fix the half metre rule
vertically in the clamps.
(üi)
Straighten nearly 2-3 cm
length of spring on either end and firmly fix its one end on
rod with the the upper
help of pliers so that it hangs clamp
vertically on the clamp. Secure its
drops of feviquick. position by putting a few
v) Onthe lower end of the
spring, fix the hanger in a similar manner.
(o) Attach the
pointer just above the hanger on the
straight portion of the spring with the help of
so that it freely moves
just in front of the scale. Ensure
that the pointer is horizontal
feviquick

and the spring are vertical. whereas the scale

Rigid support

Vertica
Scale

Spring

Pointer

Slotted

weights

Fig. B-2.1. Experimental set-up for load extension graph of a helical spring

THEORY
Spring constant a spring 1s the restoring force
of
per unit extension in the
spring.
When upper end of a spring held
vertically is fixed and load is
applied at its lower end, there is an
in its length which increases with the increase in inerease
load.
i.e., load (F) extension (y)

104 Tagether uith Physics Lab Manual-11

 proportionality R, called force
The constant constant or spring
SI unit
N m-1 constant, has dimensional formula mi
MT
and
kythe graph betw
ween F and y will be a
straight line and slope of the aph
graph will give the value of k.

TEMATIC STEPS TO PERFORM THE EXPERIMENT

, With hanger attached to the
spring note down the initial
hat there is no error due to parallax in position of the pointer on the scale. To ensure
recording position of the pointer. You can hold a
hehind the scale and holding your plane mirror
behi eyes in such a
position that pointer covers its mirror
Put 20 g weight on the hanger and let the spring
image.
stay in equilibrium. Note the position of the pointer
again.

3. Go on adding 20 g weights on the hanger and noting the corresponding

readings this way. positions of pointer. Take eight

4 Decrease load in steps o 20 g weight and note the

corresponding positions of pointer on vertical scale
again.

OBSERVATION
Least count of vertical scale = cm

TABLE FOR EXTENSION OF SPRING UNDER

DIFFERENT LOADS

Positio of pointer on the vertical scale

(cm mark)
S.No.L0ad on hanger
WgA Load increasing Load decreasing
() -
Mean
I-y,
=
Extension
(em)

2.
20

3.
40

4.
60

5.
80

6.
100

7
120

8.
140

GRAPH

cording to the
range of data and the dimensions of the graph paper available decide suitable seales
for load and extension.

aSection B: Experiments 105

 on x-axis.
and extension
). taking load
ony-axis
ag
8aph
2. Plot
The graph will
between load

be a straight
(W) and extension
line as shown in Fig. B-2.2.

x
C
Extension (cm)-

extension for a helical spring

Fig. B-2.2. Load graph

CALCULATION
k
slopeof straight line =tan AG CD
g
cm
9.8x10
10 m
N= x 0.098 N m-.

RESULT
1. The load extension graph for the given helical spring is a straight line as shown in Fig. B-2.2.

2. The value
of spring
constant for the given spring is Nm
PRECAUTIONS
1. Do not load the spring too much or otherwise it may get stretched permanently.
2. The support of the spring should be rigid and it should be firmly secured with it.

3. Put weights on the hanger gently and wait a while after changing weights so that it may reach
its
equilibrium state.

4. The pointer should be horizontal. It should move just in front of the vertical scale freely.

sOURCES OF ERROR
1. The clamp from which you suspended the spring may yield slightly under the load.
2. The values marked on slotted weights may not indicate their true mass.

VIVA VOCE
What does graph between
Q.1.
and extension
the straight
line load
Q4. On what factors does the foree constant ofa
imply? spring depend?
Ans. It implies that extension is directly proportional| Ans. On Young's modulus of elasticity of the mater

)
to load. of the wire the is made on the lengtn
spring of,

Q.2. Which law of physics

does it correspond to?2 and area of cross-section of the
spring8
Ans. Hooke's law of Q.5. How?
Y(i)k A
elasticity

Q.3. Does the law hold for any value of load? Ans. k « (ii) k
within limit what
two
Ans. No, it is applicable of elasticity forQ.6. If a spring is cut into
equal parts,
the force constant with to
the spring of each part respec
the original
spring?

106 Physics Lab Manual-11

7agether with
Ans. If the force constant of original spring is k, the
force constant of each half would be 2k.

Q.7. Can you explain how?

Ans. The extension is directly proportional to the length k,
of the spring. For the full spring extension is
y,
k under the same mas8 on a spring and
then =y,for the half spring Q12.When a is pulled let go,

force extension is ie,k = y/2

= 2P 2. what type
Ans. Simple
of motion does

harmonic motion.
it execute?

Q.8. Ifthe two halves are joined in parallel, what

will9.13.What is the formula for the time period of these
be the force constant of the combination?
oscillations?
Ans. 2k.
m
Q.9. Explain the answer of Q.8.
Ans.T=2it
Ans. If load applied is F, it will be equally shared by Q.14.Can you mention any use of the experiment you

=
the two parts and both parts will undergo equal performed?
extension. Ans. The linear relation between load and extension
Total force = 2F and total extension = y.
forms the principle of working of a spring

k= 2k.
balance.

Q.15.If you are given a spring, a known weight, a

Q.10.If two springs of foree constants k, and k, are
stopwatch and a metre scale, how can you find
joined in series, what will be the force constant the mass of a body of unknown mass?
of the combination?
Ans. Suspending the known weight to the spring and
k k,k measuring extension, we can find k. Then setting
Ans.
k,+k,) the spring into oscillations with unknown mass,

Q.11.Please explain. we can find its time period of oscillations. Using

Ans. In series, the total extension will be equal to the T'k
sum of the extensions in individual spring.
relation,
mass.
m =
4T2Wecan calculate unknown
1.e.