PhET Simulation: Masses & Springs

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published by the PhET

This simulation provides a realistic virtual mass-and-spring laboratory. Students can explore spring motion by manipulating stiffness of the spring, the hanging mass, the initial pull, damping (friction) and gravity. Charts of kinetic, potential, and thermal energy are displayed alongside, allowing for energy analysis of the system.

This item is part of a larger collection of simulations developed by the Physics Education Technology project (PhET).

Please note that this resource requires Flash.

https://phet.colorado.edu/en/simulation/legacy/mass-spring-lab

Subjects	Levels	Resource Types
Classical Mechanics - Work and Energy Oscillations & Waves - Oscillations = Damped Oscillators = Hooke's Law = Simple Harmonic Motion = Springs and Oscillators	- High School - Lower Undergraduate - Middle School	- Instructional Material = Curriculum support = Interactive Simulation

Appropriate Courses	Categories	Ratings
- Physical Science - Physics First - Conceptual Physics - Algebra-based Physics - AP Physics	- Activity - New teachers	Currently 0.0/5 Want to rate this material? Login here!

Intended Users:: Learner
Educator
Formats:: application/java
application/flash
Access Rights:: Free access
Restriction:: © 2005 PHET; University of Colorado at Boulder
Additional information is available.
Keywords:: Hooke's Law, damping, elastic potential energy, friction, harmonic oscillation, simple harmonic motion, spring constant, springs
Record Cloner:: Metadata instance created April 26, 2006 by Caroline Hall
Record Updated:: January 6, 2018 by Caroline Hall
Last Update when Cataloged:: March 3, 2006
Other Collections:: The PSRC

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NSES Content Standards

Con.B: Physical Science

5-8: Motion & Forces
9-12: Motions & Forces
9-12: Conservation of Energy & Increase in Disorder

This resource is part of a Physics Front Topical Unit.

Topic: Periodic and Simple Harmonic Motion
Unit Title: Conservation of Energy and Forces on a Spring

In this realistic virtual mass-and-spring laboratory, students explore spring motion by hanging weights of different masses on springs. Students can adjust the spring stiffness and damping. (Damping is a force, often friction, that reduces amplitude.) Real-time charts show changing kinetic, potential, and thermal energy levels as the springs oscillate. Can be adapted for a variety of levels and capabilities.

Link to Unit:

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Record Link

<a href="https://www.compadre.org/precollege/items/detail.cfm?ID=3542">PhET. PhET Simulation: Masses & Springs. Boulder: PhET, March 3, 2006.</a>

AIP Format

(PhET, Boulder, 2005), WWW Document, (https://phet.colorado.edu/en/simulation/legacy/mass-spring-lab).

AJP/PRST-PER

PhET Simulation: Masses & Springs (PhET, Boulder, 2005), <https://phet.colorado.edu/en/simulation/legacy/mass-spring-lab>.

APA Format

PhET Simulation: Masses & Springs. (2006, March 3). Retrieved September 14, 2024, from PhET: https://phet.colorado.edu/en/simulation/legacy/mass-spring-lab

Chicago Format

PhET. PhET Simulation: Masses & Springs. Boulder: PhET, March 3, 2006. https://phet.colorado.edu/en/simulation/legacy/mass-spring-lab (accessed 14 September 2024).

MLA Format

PhET Simulation: Masses & Springs. Boulder: PhET, 2005. 3 Mar. 2006. 14 Sep. 2024 <https://phet.colorado.edu/en/simulation/legacy/mass-spring-lab>.

BibTeX Export Format

@misc{ Title = {PhET Simulation: Masses & Springs}, Publisher = {PhET}, Volume = {2024}, Number = {14 September 2024}, Month = {March 3, 2006}, Year = {2005} }

Refer Export Format

%T PhET Simulation: Masses & Springs %D March 3, 2006 %I PhET %C Boulder %U https://phet.colorado.edu/en/simulation/legacy/mass-spring-lab %O application/java

EndNote Export Format

%0 Electronic Source %D March 3, 2006 %T PhET Simulation: Masses & Springs %I PhET %V 2024 %N 14 September 2024 %8 March 3, 2006 %9 application/java %U https://phet.colorado.edu/en/simulation/legacy/mass-spring-lab

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Citation Source Information

The AIP Style presented is based on information from the AIP Style Manual.

The APA Style presented is based on information from APA Style.org: Electronic References.

The Chicago Style presented is based on information from Examples of Chicago-Style Documentation.

The MLA Style presented is based on information from the MLA FAQ.

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PhET Simulation: Masses & Springs:

Is a Student Extra Of Physics Classroom: Motion of a Mass on a Spring

Is a Teaching Guide For Physics Classroom: Motion of a Mass on a Spring

Is Required By PhET Teacher Activities: Experimental Design with Forces

A comprehensive lesson plan for middle school that blends a classroom experiment with the PhET simulation Masses & Springs. Contains scripted teacher discussion, background information, student guide, assessment with answer key.

relation by Caroline Hall

Is Required By PhET Teacher Activities: Hooke's Law

A set of guided student problems with answer key, developed specifically for use in high school physics with the PhET simulation Masses & Springs.

relation by Caroline Hall

Is Required By PhET Teacher Activities: Introduction to Oscillations

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