3A20.10 - Mass on a spring
- Description
This demonstration illustrates a harmonic oscillator through masses on springs.
- Equipment
- Retort stand with 3 connectors, a bar, and 2 clamps
- Box of springs with various spring constants
- Box of masses with adaptor hook
- How to assemble and operate
- 1. Use one connector to fix the bar horizontally near the top of the stand
- 2. Connect 2 clamps to this bar with the other connectors
- 3. Hang 2 similar springs (so the spring constants are the same) from the clamps
- 4. Hang different masses from the springs
- 5. Stretch the springs a bit (not too much or the masses will fly off)
- 6. Observe the different oscillation frequencies
- 7. To demonstrate the effect of the spring constant on the oscillation frequency, repeat the experiment with different springs holding similar masses.
- 8. To demonstrate that the frequency of oscillation does not depend on the initial stretch of the spring, hang similar masses from similar springs and stretch the springs
