Why Does Spring Constant Decrease with Increased Load?

AI Thread Summary
The discussion centers on the observation that the spring constant decreases as more load is applied, which the poster struggles to explain. They suggest that twisting in the spring may contribute to this phenomenon, as greater loads lead to increased displacement. Other participants question the experimental procedure and the accuracy of the mass values used, suggesting potential systematic errors. One recommendation is to adjust the mass values by subtracting a constant offset to reassess the results. The conversation highlights the importance of accurate measurements and experimental design in understanding spring behavior.
shaun_598
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Homework Statement


Ive worked out all of my values for my shm assignment. In the table of results i have found that my spring constant decreases with load applied.

Im stuggling to come with a good reason for this.

Number Mass (kg) Spring displacement (m) Spring constant (N/m)
1 0.05 0 n/a
2 0.1 0.0195 50.31
3 0.15 0.039 37.73
4 0.2 0.061 32.16
5 0.25 0.081 30.28

The Attempt at a Solution



So far all i can come up with is twist in the spring. That the greater load had a greater spring displacement and therefore any twist when the sping would be oscilating would be exaggerated.

Any help would be appreciated thanks
 
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What exactly was the procedure for determining the values in your table? What comprises the mass for each entry?
 
gneill said:
What exactly was the procedure for determining the values in your table? What comprises the mass for each entry?
The table is actually from this thread.
 
Without knowing from an eye-witness how the experiment was conducted we can only speculate on what might cause the observed variation. As a first guess I would say that the recorded mass values are actually on the heavy side by some constant offset (systematic error?). Subtract about 0.05kg from each mass value and take another look at the results.
 

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