Name: Date:

            The purpose of this activity is to use the Stella model for a mass oscillating when attached to a horizontal spring to investigate the effect of the amplitude on the period of the oscillation.

Preliminary Questions:

1)     What effect do you think starting position will have on the period of oscillation?  In other words, if a mass on a horizontal spring is stretched greater and greater distances from its equilibrium position, will the period of oscillation increase, decrease, or stay the same?

2)     Explain the reasoning behind your answer to question 1.

3)     Describe a procedure that you could use to investigate question 1 using the Stella model built to represent a mass attached to a horizontal spring.

Investigation:

Carry out the procedure you described above investigating the effect of amplitude on the period of oscillation.  Collect and record results in a careful, organized manner.  Make sure to collect enough data to perform reliable mathematical analysis.

Analysis:

Graphically analyze your data in order to determine a mathematical interpretation of the data.  Record or print out your results.

Conclusion:

Write a summary of this investigation.  Be sure to describe your experimental procedure and to express what effect the amplitude has on the period.

Name: Date:

            The purpose of this activity is to verify results obtained from the Stella model regarding the effect of amplitude on period.  In this lab the system will consist of a low friction cart attached to a horizontal spring.

Materials Needed

            Spring

            Low friction cart

            Stopwatch

Procedure:

Design an investigation to verify the relationship between amplitude and period that you discovered using the Stella model.  Describe the procedure.

Investigation:

Carry out the procedure you described above.  Collect and record results in a careful, organized manner.  Make sure to collect enough data to perform reliable mathematical analysis.

Analysis:

Graphically analyze your data in order to determine a mathematical interpretation of the data.  Record or print out your results.

Conclusion:

Write a summary of this investigation.  What physical quantities are changed when the amplitude is varied? Describe the relationship between the quantities that are affected and the amplitude.