Aim To investigate the effect of different masses suspended from a spring on the time period of the spring.

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PHYSICS LAB REPORT

THE EFFECT OF A SUSPENDED MASS ON THE TIME PERIOD OF THE SPRING.

Aim

To investigate the effect of different masses suspended from a spring on the time period of the spring.

Hypothesis

I feel that if I increase the mass, the period will increase too because the mass is proportionate to the time period.

Variables

  • Independent – Mass suspended from spring.
  • Dependent- The time period of the string.
  • Constant- The apparatus, Number of oscillations, spring constant (elasticity).

Apparatus

  • 1 spring
  • 100 gram masses. (6 of them)

Materials

  • 1 clamp stand
  • Stopwatch
  • Plasticine

Method

  1. Place a clamp stand on the table
  2. Attach the spring to the clamp stand.
  3. Add heavy books on the clamp stand to the base so that it is stable and doesn’t affect our readings.
  4. Add Plasticine to the top of the spring so that the spring itself doesn’t vibrate a lot. Hence there would be no discrepancies in the readings.
  5. Add 100 grams mass to the spring.
  6. Displace the 100 gram mass.
  7. Release the 100 gram mass and at the same time start the stopwatch.
  8. Record the time taken for 10 oscillations.
  9. Repeat steps 6 to 8 2 more times to get three total trials.
  10. Now add more mass to the spring and repeat steps 6 to 8 with 200 g, 300g, 400g, and 500g.
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Diagram

Raw Data Table

Processed Data Table

First as we have three trials I would find the average of the three trials to get one reading for time for 10 oscillations per mass. To find the average I would add the three trials and then divide by three.

Now we shall find the time period. Time period is equal to the time taken for one oscillation. We have time taken for 10 oscillations, thus to find the time taken for one oscillation you simply divide the time by 10.

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There were not many writing errors except a few misspelling which usually happens so it is better to use a spelling and grammar checker or proof read your work before submitting it.

The analysis is acceptable but limited to only what the student has learnt from the books and not any sort of personal research. There are some mistakes in the essay such as: 1. The apparatus is not a factor so it cannot be considered as a constant factor however the displacement of the mass must be a constant factor. 2. The apparent diagram is not visible in the essay but I blame online file transfers is the blame. 3. The relationship between period and mass hanging from a spring with constant k is T=2? ?(m/k). so T is not just simply directly proportional to m. But in general it provided some valuable and useful basic information about the topic which is just alright for the GCSE level.

A topic which is beyond the scope of the GCSE syllabus was experimented by the author. It most definitely answered the question to a certain extent, however lack of further information about oscillations and the relationship between mass and Period (T) is obvious. There is a positive co-relation between the two factors, however it is not directly proportional. This error could have been avoided by simply looking up in internet and learning more about oscillations.