REQUIRED PRACTICAL: INVESTIGATING SPRINGS

Question 1

Why does the ruler need to be clamped in place?

Answer 1

to keep it vertical and make the result accurate. Also to stop it moving and make sure result are precise

Question 2

How do we convert 100g into N?

Answer 2

100g is 0.1 kg

Newtons measure the weight on the spring. W = mg
So 0.1 kg x 9.8 = 0.98 N (We round to 1N for ease)

Question 3

Why would it be useful to attach a pointer to the bottom of the spring?

Answer 3

the spring doesn’t touch the ruler so a pointer means that parallax errors are avoided. This ensures accurate readings as well as precision when readings are repeated.

Question 4

Why might the spring not go back t its original length?

Answer 4

its permanently deformed as it has been stretch pass it elastic potential limit

Question 5

Why do graph sometime not go through the origin?

Answer 5

because the ruler wasn’t lined exactly with the original length of the spring

Question 6

What is meant by a ‘systematic error’?

Answer 6

all the results are inaccurate by the same amount - one fault affects each results