Physics Demo Manual

Demonstrations are cataloged according to PIRA Bibliography

PLEASE REQUEST DEMOS WELL IN ADVANCE

Due to Physics Building renovations, the lead time to set up demo requests has increased due to the need to transport equipment across campus. Please be kind and let me know well ahead of time what you need.

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Mechanics
Fluid Mechanics
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Measurement
Motion In One Dimension
Motion In Two Dimensions
Newton's First Law
Newton's Second Law
Newton's Third Law
Statics Of Rigid Bodies
Applications Of Newton's Laws
Gravity
Work and Energy
Momentum
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Properties of Matter: Hooke's Law; Force Constant of a Spring; Spring Scale Collection; Strings and Springs; Breaking Wire (Plasticity); Bending Beams; Prince Rupert's Drops; Shear Block; Happy and unhappy balls; video - Coefficient of Restitution; Crystal Models

Hooke's Law

Purpose:

To demonstrate Hooke's Law of proportionality between a force applied to a spring and its stretched length.

Procedure:

Hang different masses on the spring and measure the length of the spring on the ruler. Demonstrate that z.B. twice the weight results in twice the stretch.
Also a version with two springs available so that one can demonstrate that two springs in series stretch twice as much and two strings in parallel half as much as a single spring for the same weight.

Hints:

This demo has recently been updated. Various springs can be used. Magnetic arrows are supplied to mark locations of the mass as more or less is added. For the positions shown in the photo, we successively add 50g masses.

Simulations are freely available via the PhET Interactive Simulations website. Try their Mass Spring Lab.