Mass and Spring

How is a mass on a spring different from a pendulum?

A steel strip serves as a spring

Materials

If you hold the handle for the steel spring at the edge of the table top, you can make the free end vibrate back and forth by pulling it to one side and releasing it. You can add mass to the end of the spring by the spring by sticking magnets to it.

1. Measure how long it takes for the spring with one magnet stuck to it to make a round trip, by timing 10 or 20 oscillations.

2. Similarly measure the period with two or three or four magnets attached.

3. At what parts of the motion is the spring pushing to the right on the magnets? At what parts is it pulling to the left?

4. Use the Law of Force and Acceleration to explain why the period changes when you change the mass on the end of the spring.
Check the box when you are done:   

Science content: vibrating systems