Activities

Activities

Exploration

Exploration

Explore the Mass and Spring simulation below for several minutes: Try clicking around Try dragging objects Try sliding sliders <flash>file=MassSpringLab2.swf

Now that you have spent several minutes familiarizing yourself with the Mass and Spring simulation, complete the following multi-choice question. Feel free to use the simulation to help you answer the question.

Free Body Diagrams

Free Body Diagrams

One of the masses is hooked onto a spring. The mass and spring soon come to rest. Which free body diagram best represents the forces on the hanging mass when it is at rest? Think about the sum of the forces when an object is in equilibrium. (a) Absolutely Correct! (b) Incorrect, the forces are not the same magnitude. (c) Incorrect, the forces are not the same magnitude.

Reflection

Reflection

Forces in equilibrium is a concept that will be very useful when completing the remainder of the activity. The best answer to the question above is (a) because the magnitude of the object's weight (W) is equal to the magnitude of the (upward) force from the spring (Fs).

Main Activity

There are three ways to complete the Hooke's Law activity. Click on the highlighted link below that is the closest match for your situation.

Self-guided Activity	Guided Activity	Group Activity
Comfortable with the simulation	Uncomfortable with the simulation	Sharing a computer
Answered the multi-choice question correctly	Experienced difficulties with the multi-choice question	Working in a Team
Already have a hypothesis	Not sure of a hypothesis
Ready for a challenge	Ready for small steps

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