Forces and Springs

In this title we are going to explore how much a spring extends when we apply a force to it.

We are going to do this by looking at an e-scenario of a spring supported at its end on high, and a weight cradle attached to its lower end. We are able to change the number of weights on the cradle and measure the extension of the spring using the attached ruler.

This e-scenario presents the concept in a highly visual and accessible way, allowing the student to explore the concept through interaction and observation. The underlying Physics is deliberately made clear, helping the student to develop an intuitive understanding of the ideas involved.

An exercise that confirms Hooke’s Law is included.

Finally, a closely related GCSE examination question is examined, allowing students to apply what they have discovered in the e-scenario to an examination situation.

The package is supplied as a PowerPoint presentation containing the teaching material and a link to the online e-scenario. The e-scenario runs in any WebGL-compatible browser, including Edge, Firefox and Safari.

This product is for one school for one year and is for personal and classroom use only. Copying any part of this resource is forbidden and violates the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA). Whilst efforts will be made to maintain third party links to external sites these cannnot be guaranteed in perpetuity. Purchasing and downloading this product is your consent to these conditions.