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PPhysicsS1 to S4Forces
Hooke’s law lab: springs, extension and the spring constant
Bathroom scales, bicycle seats and car suspensions all use springs. Load a spring, measure how far it stretches and find the rule it follows.
LevelS1 to S4 (and IGCSE, GCSE)
TimeAbout 35 min
You useF = k x, graphs, gradients
PriceFree: no account
🎯 Aim
To investigate how the extension of a spring depends on the force applied, find the spring constant and the elastic limit, and compare a spring with a rubber band.
You will learn to
- Measure extension accurately from a metre rule.
- Plot force against extension and find the gradient.
- State Hooke’s law and identify the elastic limit.
- Calculate elastic energy stored.
🧭 What to do
- Choose Spring A. Set the Mass hanging to 100 g.
- Tap Record this reading. Repeat every 100 g up to 800 g.
- Look at the graph: where does the line stop being straight?
- Tap Remove all masses: has the spring gone back to 10.0 cm?
- Try Spring B and the Rubber band. Answer the questions.
- Write your conclusion and download your lab report.
📋 The data
Pointer readings for spring A with masses from 0 to 700 g (original length 10.0 cm).
🧠 Investigate: answer from the data
Type your answer and tap Check. Use 💡 Hint first; open the method only when you are stuck.
➕ Get more from this experiment
📝 Free
Print the worksheet (button above), download the data, and save your report. Teachers can project this page in class.
📦 Premium Lab Pack
1 000 RWF
- Practical worksheet for a real spring experiment
- Graph paper sheets and analysis questions
- Teacher guide and answer key
- Exam-style forces questions with marking scheme
👩🏫 For teachers
Use it as a practical when apparatus is missing, as homework, or as a project. Free lesson plans help you plan, teach and assess.
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