Investigation on springs.

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Investigation on springs

Planning

Background

The silicon chip has been the cornerstone of the IT revolution for the past several decades. Over the years we have seen the size of the devices such as microprocessors shrink and their speed increase considerably. However, to enable miniaturisation to proceed as it has electronic device engineers have had to integrate discrete devices such as resistors, capacitors and inductors into the chips themselves. To achieve this they have had to make these components essentially out of the silicon itself.

To enable them to do so they have had to understand what factors affect, for example, the resistance of the material that they used. In a similar manner, see if you can discover what factors affect the resistance of a metal wire in the laboratory.

Aim

I will construct an experiment with the aim to first to discover what factors affect the resistance of a metal wire and secondly to find appropriate factors to measure the resistance in a simple way.

Preliminary Work

  • Length of wire to use:

1 metre of metal wire should be used because this is the same distance of an average arms length. Also we can get 10 readings of results from a 1metre length of metal wire if each reading is taking every 10cm.

  • Factors that affect resistance:

Heat (temperature)

Area

Material

Length

  • Which of these variables is the best variable to measure in the experiment?

Length is the best variable because

  • Materials to consider to use for the experiment:

Copper

Con

Plan

  • The apparatus will be collected as follows:

Clamp stand

3 springs

Metre rule

100g weights

Set square

  • Then experiment will be set up with the apparatus with the spring attached to the clamp.
  • 100g weights will be added to the spring. The extension will be measured and recorded each time a 100g weight is added.  
  • 100g weights will be added to the spring until the spring cannot hold the weights any more and it brakes.
  • This method will be repeated two more times so an averages can be taken. Averages can give more accurate results.
  • A results table and graph will be drawn up.
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Fair Testing

  • As the experiment is repeated three times, to make it fair the same type of spring will be used each time.
  • The same person will measure the extension each time.
  • Measuring will take place at eye level so precise and accurate results can be taken. Also this ensures that the reading of the extension is taken at the same place and level to make it a fair test. Also a setsquare will be used to get precise and accurate results as I can line the spring up with the metre rule to read off the extension.
  • Each ...

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