FUNDAMENTAL Physics Forces: 1.

10 Hookes Law

Hookes Law

Learning Outcomes
Revise Hookes Law and Hookian behaviour
How does combinations of springs affect the spring constant
Are metal wire hookians

Research Question for metal spring:

What is the relationship between the Force and the extension for a
metal helictical spring?
Independent variable is the load (force) / Newtons
Dependent variable is the extension
What are the control variables?
Apparatus
No load

loaded

Lo

Extension

Load
Think about making your experimental technique better..
How can I make my data more accurate?
How do I make my data more reliable?
Results
1

FUNDAMENTAL Physics Forces: 1.10 Hookes Law

(use an excel spreadsheet or a Googledoc to share the data)

Load on
Spring

Extension
Repeat 1

Extension
Repeat 2

Extension
Average

/N

/cm

/cm

/cm

0.5

0.5

0.5

3.9

3.95

8.9

8.95

14.5

14.4

14.45

19.6

19.5

19.55

25.1

25

25.05

31

31.4

31.20

37.2

37.2

37.20

47

47.8

47.40

59.1

59.8

59.50

What are the key features of a good results table?

1. Headings should be included
2. Units must be present and are in the axis of the table
3. Readings are accurate and an average is calculated
4. All measurements are written to the same number of decimal
places

FUNDAMENTAL Physics Forces: 1.10 Hookes Law

(teacher Page only)

Graph of Load and Extension for a Spring or a metal

Graph of Load and Extension for a Spring

Force / N

on / cm
Graph of Load and Extension for a Metal Wire

FUNDAMENTAL Physics Forces: 1.10 Hookes Law

Small plastic
region
A metal wire made of steel will
typically be stiff and will break
before it shows much plastic
behaviour.

tension / mm

Conclusion
The extension is directly proportional to the Force because the line is
a straight line that passes through the origin, but only up to a point
which is called the elastic limit. This is HOOKES LAW.
Any object that obeys Hookes Law is said to be hookian .
Hence we know if an object is hookian because its Force/Extension
graph will be a straight line that passes through the origin!
Springs and Metal Wires are Hookian.

Mathematical Analysis
In a direct proportionality, doubling the force will double the
extension.

FUNDAMENTAL Physics Forces: 1.10 Hookes Law

Force extension
Force = spring constant x extension

F= k x
Note:
This only applies inside the elastic limit. (Beyond the elastic limit
the spring is permanently deformed. This is plastic behaviour.)
k is the spring constant which is the elasticity of the spring.

Definitions:
Elastic can deform and will return to its original shape
Plastic can deform and will then retain the new shape.

Homework

P 61, Q 1-4

FUNDAMENTAL Physics Forces: 1.10 Hookes Law

Lesson 11B

Research Question for Elastic/Rubber Band

We saw that, inside the elastic limit, a metal spring is Hookian and
Elastic. Does this mean that all elastic objects are Hookian?
Is an elastic band Hookian? Does it obey Hookes Law?
We can test this by producing a Force/extension graph and seeing if it
is a Straight Line through the origin
Results
Force / N

Extension / cm Extension / cm Extension / cm

Repeat 1

Repeat 2

average

0.0

0.0

0.0

1
2
3
4
5
6
7

FUNDAMENTAL Physics Forces: 1.10 Hookes Law

(teacher page only)

Graph

FUNDAMENTAL Physics Forces: 1.10 Hookes Law

Conclusion

An elastic band is hookian because it can deform and return to its

original shape.
The elastic band Non-hookian because the force/extension graph is
not a straight line, which means that load is not directly proportional
to extension.
The elastic band does not obey Hookes Law.

FUNDAMENTAL Physics Forces: 1.10 Hookes Law

Homework P 74, Q 5 and REVISE

Produce your revision notes (they will be assessed)
Do the Practice Exam Questions (answers are on
ISLE)

Extension Springs in Series and Parallel

Parallel

Load
5N

Single

Series

Load
5N
Load
5N

All 3 systems are given an equal load of 5N.

Measure the extension for a single spring.
What will be the extension of the other 2 systems?
What is happening to the stiffness (spring constant)?