PhysicsLAB Worksheet
Static Springs: The Basics
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Refer to the following information for the next two questions.

The diagram below represents a spring hanging vertically that stretches 0.075 meter when a 5.0-newton block is attached. The spring-block system is at rest in the position shown.
 

 
What is the value of the spring's elasticity constant in N/m? 

How much force would be required to stretch the spring an additional 0.15 meters?
 
Refer to the following information for the next three questions.

A spring with a spring constant of 4.0 newtons per meter is compressed by a force of 1.2 newtons.
How far from its equilibrium position was the spring compressed?
 
What is the total elastic potential energy stored in this compressed spring?
 
Which graph best represents the relationship between the elastic potential energy stored in a spring and its elongation from equilibrium?
 
Refer to the following information for the next two questions.

An unstretched spring has a length of 10. centimeters. When the spring is stretched by a force of 16 newtons, its length is increased to 18 centimeters.
What is the spring constant of this spring?
 
How much work, in joules, was done in stretching the spring? 

Refer to the following information for the next question.

The graph below represents the relationship between the force applied to a spring and spring elongation for four different springs.
 
Which spring has the greatest spring constant?
 
Refer to the following information for the next two questions.

A student performed an experiment in which the weight attached to a suspended spring was varied and the resulting total length of the spring measured. The data for the experiment are in the table below.
 
The student forgot to measure the original length of his spring.
 
 
Plot a graph of Attached Weight vs Total Spring Length of determine his unrecorded value. 

What was the spring's elasticity constant? 

Refer to the following information for the next four questions.

Three identical Hooke Law springs of spring constant k are connected as shown to a mass M in equilibrium. The horizontal platform shown between the springs and the springs themselves have no mass.
 
In terms of k, what is the spring constant for the system? 

If k = 300 N/m, how far would the system be stretched if the attached mass was equal to 1 kg?
 
The bottom spring is now removed from the system and the attached mass remains 1 kilogram.
 
If k = 300 N/m, how far would the system now stretch? 

One more final arrangement is made from the original three springs; two of the three springs are now connected in series.
 
 
If k = 300 N/m, how far would the system now stretch if the attached mass remains 1 kilogram. 

Refer to the following information for the next three questions.

A pop-up toy has a mass of 0.020 kilogram and a spring constant of 150 newtons per meter. A force is applied to the toy to compress the spring 0.050 meter.
 
 
How much potential elastic energy is stored in the spring?
 
The toy is activated and all the compressed spring’s potential energy is converted to gravitational potential energy. Calculate the maximum vertical height to which the toy is propelled.
 
How fast was the toy traveling as it passed through its original equilibrium position on its way to the apex of its trajectory? 




 
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