Figure 1. Diagram of spring-mass system with mass initially displaced from equilibrium, ye, to initial position y = ya, and later at position *= Vz In Figure 1 a mass attached to a spring is lifted from its equilibrium position, y This adds mechanical potential energy to the system, and when released the mass begins to oscillate, converting energy between potential and kinetic states. Based on the forces influencing the oscillation of the mass (Hooke's Law), it can be shown that the velocity and energy state of the system can be determined at any future position, y . For the purposes of this experiment you'll measure the position of an oscillating mass at regular time increments to calculate the system's kinetic and potential energy, and you'll determine whether total mechanical energy is conserved. As we come to understand systems like a mass attached to a spring, our insight into the energy states can be applied to the behaviour of a vast array other important and often complex systems: rockets, atomic physics, planetary systems, thermodynamics, and more. Furthermore, understanding energy exchange within systems becomes critical in the conversion of energy into work