Hooke's Law

Laboratory five investigated Hooke's Law using readily available local materials, styrofoam cups, marbles, and elastic bands.
 Cecelia adjusts the zero point on her cup

The design intent is that the laboratory could be reproduced in an elementary or secondary school with minimal equipment. The meter sticks and triple beam balances, however, are rare outside of the college here in Micronesia.
 Delta Lei measures the downward displacement, Krystal masses the marbles, while Nancyleen records the data.

In lieu of a triple beam balance, the marbles are each roughly five grams. One could simply use five grams for the mass of each marble. With modifications, a ruler or two could be substituted for the meter stick.

Kesusa masses marbles while Nick make displacement observations

We had to close the windows and the door because the wind was interfering both with the hanging cups and with the triple beam balances. With no air conditioning, and Pohnpei sweltering under an El Niño sun, the room was a tad warm and stuffy. Still, the scientists forged on gathering their data.
Sepe and Mayleen work on the mass for one of their marbles

Data from this laboratory exercise is available in OpenOffice.org Calc format.

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