Harmonic Motion PhET Lab

Purpose: To investigate the effect of the spring constant and mass

on the frequency and period of a mass-spring oscillator.

- Go to PhET. Choose Masses and Springs: Basics Lab.

https://phet.colorado.edu/sims/html/masses-and-springs-basics/latest/masses-and-springs-basics_en.html

- Click the orange gravity button to be able to see/adjust the gravitational field strength "g" of the sim.

- The period is the time for one complete cycle of movement. The time for one complete down and up (back to the starting point) can be determined by moving the timer on screen and clicking play/pause. The simulation can also be slowed to help with timing by pressing the circle in the lower right corner.

- Use the simulation to determine the period of motion for each of the following masses on Earth:

Mass (kg) Period (T)

.050 kg
.100 kg
.250 kg

- Use the simulation to determine the period of motion for each of the following masses on the moon:

Mass (kg) Period (T)

.050 kg	sec
.100 kg	sec
.250 kg	sec

figure out the periods for both charts