Conservation of Spring and Gravitational Potential Energy

PHY 200 & 230

Although the procedure does not apply, use Loyd Pre-lab 12. In this experiment, a spring will be suspended from a rigid support with a hooked mass on the end of the spring. The students will measure the extension of the spring due to varying mass amounts in order to determine spring constant k for the spring, spring potential energy, and gravitational potential energy.

Equipment

Notes

Use springs that are not too stretched out or too tight.

This lab requires laptops. The computer cart containing the laptops can be wheeled by faculty into the lab room. Make sure there are plenty of slotted masses in the back of room. Make sure that the room has plenty of paper.