Lab B1 Simple Harmonic Motion.docx - Physics 103A-001 Professor Alexander Clark Lab performed on 23 October 2017 Lab B1 Simple Harmonic Motion

Physics 103A-001 Professor Alexander Clark Lab performed on 23 October 2017 Lab B1: Simple Harmonic Motion Introduction The objective of this lab was to determine the spring constant k by stretching the spring and applying Hooke’s Law. We were also verifying that the period of vibration on a body on a spring is independent of the amplitude with the equation: T = 2 π √ m k Lastly, we measured the period T of a simple pendulum as a function of the length L of the pendulum with the equation: T = 2 π √ L g When a body of mass is suspended on a coil spring with spring constant k, and if the spring is stretched or compressed from its equilibrium position through a displacement s, the spring exerts on the body a force that is proportional to the displacement s and given by Hooke’s law. F=-ks We call F a restoring force. The negative sign indicates that the force direction is opposite to the direction of the displacement. If the spring hung vertically, when the body is stationary, according to Newton’s first law we know that F=mg Combined the equations form → mg=ks Experimental Procedure The equipment we used for this lab was a cylindrical coil spring, meter stick, 50g weight hanger, standard set of weight, stop watch, two right angle clamps, meter stick clamp, small aluminum rod with grooves metal marker for easy reading of the meter stick, simple pendulum, plastic protractor, and a digital scale. The lab was broken up into four different parts.