The Science of Spring Force
The spring mass sensor setup.Copyright 2010 Ronald Poveda, Polytechnic Institute of NYU
Students use data acquisition equipment to learn about force and displacement in regard to simple and complex machines. In the engineering world, materials and systems are tested by applying forces and measuring the resulting displacements. The relationship between the force applied on a material, and its resulting displacement, is a distinct property of the material, which is measured in order to evaluate the material for correct use in structures and machines.
One property that mechanical engineers study and measure is the spring or stiffness constant of a material. This involves the application of Newton's laws of motion and is known as Hooke's law. Various types of tests are conducted on different materials in order to determine the individual stiffness of each material. This is useful for engineers in determining the most suitable material for the design of a structure or machine to ensure safety and usability. The ability to analyze springs and elastic materials enables engineers to design complex structures.
After this activity, students should be able to:
- Explain and apply Hooke's law and its application to springs/elastic structures, F = kx.
- Explain the difference that a material makes in the design of a simple/complex machine.
- Measure properties and collect data from testing of materials.
- Describe how this application of Hooke's law is used to solve real-life engineering design problems.