I shall start the experiment by measuring how long the spring is at the starting point which enables me to take the other results accurately. After that task has been completed I shall be suspending a 50g weight from the spring. This will hopefully stretch the spring slightly. I will then measure the length of the spring and take away the starting point measurement, which will then give me an accurate reading of how far the spring has stretched.
I shall then perform this action continuously by adding 50g each time until the spring will stretch no more.
After I have performed that part of the experiment, I shall then wrap a second piece of wire around a thicker object. I shall then repeat the same as I did with the smaller coil, add 50g until the spring has stretched to its full ability.
Obtaining Evidence
After completing the experiment, I made no changes to my method and I feel that the experiment ran smoothly and without any serious problems.
I hung the weights in 50g sections like I had previously planned and measured successfully from the starting point of the spring.
I also found that my results were consistent. I had to test the consistency of my results so I decided to do the experiment twice, just in case there was a mistake of some kind that was left unnoticed. But this appears not to be the case as the results are pleasingly similar.
Results
Small coiled results
Starting point = 1.5cm
Large coiled results
Starting point = 2.5cm
Analysing data
I can see from my results that both the small coiled and large coiled spring had a point when they stopped stretching, but the large coiled spring stopped stretching at a much lower weight than the small coiled spring. This means that the smaller the coil, the more weight you have to place on it before it stops stretching.
Therefore, my prediction was correct:
“I think that the bigger the coils are, the less amount of weight the spring needs to stretch to its elastic limit.”
Evaluation
I am pleased with the experiment because of the fact that my results were accurate and my prediction was totally correct.
I feel that if I could have improved the experiment, I could have used different types of coils - maybe a tighter one and a looser one - just to further confirm and support my data.
Overall, I am pleased with the how the experiment was carried out and the eventual results.
Table
