HOOKES LAW

Bundalian, Patrick John Edbert G., Phy11L/A3

patrickbundalian@gmail.com

Abstract
Elasticity refers to a property by which an object changes its length, shape or size under the
action of a deforming force and recovers its original configuration upon the removal of force.
The objectives of the study are: to study the elastic properties of the spring, to determine the
force constant of the spring, to investigate the relationship between the deforming force and
amount the spring stretches and to determine the total work done on the spring when it is
being stretched. In performing the experiment, we constantly hanged weights on the Hookes
law apparatus and measure the displacement it makes so that we can solve for the force
constant, and the work done. We were able to determine the true force constants of the two
springs. We also found out the relationship of force and amount the spring stretches which
can be used to solve for the force constant by manipulating the equations and turning them
into ( k =F/ x ).
Keywords: Hookes law apparatus, maximum strain, distorting force, restoring force, elastic
behavior

Introduction
Law of elasticity discovered by the English scientist Robert Hooke in 1660, which states that,
for relatively small deformations of an object, the displacement or size of the deformation is
directly proportional to the deforming force or load. Under these conditions the object returns
to its original shape and size upon removal of the load. Elastic behavior of solids according to
Hookes law can be explained by the fact that small displacements of their
constituent molecules, atoms, or ions from normal positions is also proportional to the force
that causes the displacement.
The shape of a body will distort when a force is applied to it. Bodies which are elastic distort
by compression or tension, and return to their original or equilibrium position when the
distorting force is removed (unless the distorting force exceeds the elastic limit of the
material). Hooke's Law states that if the distortion of an elastic body is not too large, the force
tending to restore the body to equilibrium is proportional to the displacement of the body
from equilibrium. Stated mathematically:

(1)
Where F is a restoring force, k is a constant of proportionality and x is the distance the object
has been displaced from its equilibrium position. From Newton's 2nd Law,

(2)
For a spring attached to a mass. The solution to this equation is,
(3)
Where,

(4)
And is a phase constant, determined from initial conditions. A mass hanging from a
massless spring oscillates about its equilibrium position with a period, T, given by,

(5)
However, if the spring is not massless, then m must be replaced with m + amsp where a equals
some fraction of the spring mass. Thus, in general, the period of a spring/mass system can by
described by,

(6)
Equation (6) can be solve for m, so that,

(7)
This is an equation of the form of y=mx+yo , where x =

t2
4 2

and yo =amsp . Note that the

quantity (m + amsp) is known as the equivalent mass of the system. For an ideal Hookes
1
law spring, a= 3 .
This experiment, aims to study the elastic properties of the spring, it also aims to determine
the force constant of the spring likewise to investigate the relationship between the deforming
force and the amount the spring stretches and lastly to determine the total work done on the
spring when it is being stretched.

Methodology
Setting up the experiment, we hanged the spring from the notch on the support arm carefully
and connect the stretch indicator to the bottom of the spring. Then, the clamp is adjusted on
the support rod until the indicator reading is aligned at exactly zero. Afterwards, we connect
the mass hanger to the bottom of the stretch indicator and start doing the first part of the
experiment which is the determination of the force constant of the spring.
First, we use the 8 N/m spring and a 10 gram weight as our initial mass whereas, it is placed
on the hanger. From the reading of the transparent scale plate, the change in displacement of
the spring was recorded and also the value of first mass. Using equation (1), we compute for
the force constant of the spring. We performed three trials but varying the mass by adding 10
g in each trial. The average value of the force constant was determined through calculation
and the graph of a force versus displacement is also
drawn in our data.
We find the slope of the line and finally calculated the percentage difference of the average
value of the force constant and the lines slope. Applying the same procedures, we used the
other spring that is 4 N/m. For the completion of the experiment, we determined the work
done on the spring after gathering all the required data and substituted it in the equation,

Where xf is the displacement from trial 4 in the 1st part of the experiment and x o =0.We find
the area under the graph of force versus displacement and compared it to the total work done.
Results and Discussion
In the first part of the experiment, the force constant of the 4 N/m and 8 N/m spring is
determined by the quotient of the values from force (product of mass and acceleration due to
gravity) and values of displacement (reading from transparent scale plate).

Fig 1. The setup

(a)

(c)

(b)

(d)

(e)

Fig 2. The equipment used in the experiment (L-R): (a) mass hanger; (b) 4N/m spring; (c)
8N/m spring; (d) stretch indicator; (e) weights
Table 1A. Determining the Force Constant of the Spring
Trial

Mass (kg)

Force (N)

1
2
3
4

0.015
0.025
0.035
0.045

0.147
0.245
0.343
0.491

Displacement
(m)
0.036
0.058
0.074
0.050
Average
Slope of the line
% difference

Force constant
(N/m)
8.17
8.75
8.79
8.82
8.63
9.19
1.56%

Observing the data gathered from Table 1A, we noticed that for each spring, as the mass
increases, the force and displacement also increases but produces a force constant that is quite
close with the actual value of the spring. Meaning, force and displacement are directly
proportional to each other.

Table 1B. Determining the Force Constant of the Spring

Trial

Mass (g)

Force (N)

1
2
3
4

0.015
0.025
0.035
0.045

0.147
0.245
0.343
0.491

Displacement
(cm)
0.027
0.046
0.064
0.083
Average
Slope of the line
% difference

Force constant
(N/m)
5.44
5.33
5.36
5.31
5.36
5.25
2.07%

Acquisition of the data in Table1B uses the same procedure like that of Table1A though the
mass used in this part of the experiment was similar to that of the first one for consistency
and so they both have the same force. It can also be observed that the displacement of the
string in this part is shorter than that of the first one.
Table 2. Determining the Work Done on the Spring
Trial

Final
displacement
(m)

Average
force
constant
(N/m)

Work (Joule)

Area under
the F vs. x
graph

% difference

Table 1A
Table 1B

0.09
0.083

8.63
5.36

0.012
0.018

0.011
0.018

2.18%
0.89%

The work in Table 2 was obtained by multiplying the average force constant and the final
displacement. As for the area under the line, the formula of area of a triangle which is onehalf base multiplied by height was used. And the percent difference was obtained by the use
of the work that was calculated and the area under the line.

Fig 3. Graphs: (a) Force vs Displacement (4N/m

spring); (b) Force vs Displacement (8 N/m spring)
5

(a)

(b)

The graph above perfectly illustrates the relationship between force and displacements direct
proportionality. The line graph is going towards the upper right of the coordinate plane and
therefore has an increasing slope.

Conclusion
The evident relationship between the force applied and the force constant is that their quotient
would be equal to the distance stretched by the spring.
A spring stretches because its structure is weak enough to be pulled but this would create
strain on the spring that forces it to return to its original form making it harder and harder to
stretch. The spring would be deformed if the force applied was too much which would reach
the maximum strain that the material can have then it goes to a point where the spring
deforms to reduce the strain.
This experiments objectives is to study the springs elastic properties, determine its force
constant, investigate the relationship between the deforming force and amount the spring
stretches, and determine the total work done on the spring when it is being stretched or
pulled. After this experiment, our group was able to determine the total work done on the
1 2
spring when it is being stretched with the use of the equation ( W = 2 k x ). We were also
able to determine the true force constants of the two springs. We also found out the
relationship of force and amount the spring stretches which can be used to solve for the force
constant by manipulating the equations and turning them into ( k =F/ x ).
Hooke's Law possesses the idea that every spring has a spring constant (stiffness of the
spring) and can be calculated by dividing the force which pulls the spring by the spring
displacement.

References
[1] Halliday, Fundamentals of Physics, 9th edition.
[2]http://www.brightstorm.com/science/physics/oscillatory-motion/hooks-law
[3]http://www.physics247.com/physics-tutorial/hookes-law.shtml