Lesson objectives (Determining a spring force constant)

This is the first of two lessons using the OpenSTEM Africa Spring mass system application.

Lesson objectives

By the end of the lesson, you will be able to:

  • Transform data into the units used for Hooke’s law.
  • Describe the proportionality of a spring in terms of applied force and extension and elastic limit.
  • Use Hooke’s law to calculate the force constant of a spring.
  • Compare the properties of different springs.
  • Describe how the stiffness of a spring relates to its force constant.

The following practical and experimental Skills will be developed:

  • Observations
  • Plotting
  • Analysing
  • Interpretation
  • Reporting

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