Investigating How One Factor Affects the Period Time a Mass on the End of a Spring Takes to Complete One Oscillation

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Investigating How One Factor Affects the Period Time a Mass on the End of a Spring Takes to Complete One Oscillation

Planning

Variables

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The aim of these experiments will be to see how one factor affects the

period of time a mass on the end of a spring takes to complete one

whole oscillation. One whole oscillation means the mass returning to

its original position, be it the equilibrium or not.

I will look at the independent variables (variables which are not

caused as a result of another variable). The dependent variable in

this case is time

* Mass - the size of mass on the end of the spring. Bigger mass may

affect the time it takes

* Length of spring - if the spring is longer, the mass would have

further to travel and this will affect the time it takes to

oscillate.

* Tension of spring - the more tension in the spring may result in

the mass oscillating faster as there would be more tension. This

would prevent the mass pulling the spring too far and thus mean

the oscillating time would be shorter.

* Gravity - the force of gravity would affect the mass, as if the

gravity was less the mass would take longer to pull the spring

down. If the gravity were stronger, the mass would take longer to

go back to the equilibrium.

* Temperature - if the temperature changed, the spring would be more

ductile and this could mean the spring would deform earlier than

it would at room temperature.

I have chosen to make mass the variable, as this is the easiest

variable to use in this experiment.

Equipment

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[IMAGE]Here is a diagram of the equipment I will use:

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