Graphing question with Springs and Energy?

[lu6cifer]

Let's say there's a lab where one hangs weights off a spring, and graphs the length and weight to find the spring constant.


Graphs have the independent variable--weight in this case--on the x axis, and the dependent variable--length--on the y axis. So, by that method, the graph should be Length vs Weight

But when I learned about Hooke's law and whatnot, I saw that the graphs were Weight vs Length, because of F = kx

Which way is the correct convention?

 

[Doc Al]

I think it would be easier if you plotted F versus x. That way the slope of the line would equal k. But it doesn't really matter. If you plotted x versus F, the equation of the line would be x = (1/k)F, so the slope would equal 1/k.