General Equipment

For this lab we need :

• 1 Force sensor
• 1 Motion sensor
• 2 USB Links
• short thin spring (~0.5 inch diameter)
•  a 1000 g mass + a 500 g mass
• small foamcore card (so motion detector can see the mass)
• (if doing damping - large foamcore card also)
• tape
• plastic "cage" to protect the motion detector

Protect the Motion sensor!

The Motion sensor is a sensitive piece of equipment - please make sure you use the cage as shown. This image shows it on the lab stool - you might choose to put it on the floor - depending on how high the force probe is.

Remember, the motion sensor should be at LEAST 0.5 meters away from the lowest position of the oscillating mass.

Force Probe on tall pole

As always, we need to zero the force probe. Then, the spring will attach to the force probe using the right-angle clamp, and the short metal rod as shown.

Once the spring is connected to the force probe, you can raise the pole so that the spring will stretch down and the hanging mass will be at an easy access level (and still be more than 0.5 meters from the motion detector on the floor/stool).

Connect the spring.

Once you zeroed the force probe, you can connect the spring to it ... it is a good idea to put some tape on each end of the spring (on the force probe, and on the mass) so that the spring doesn't move around - should give a cleaner reading for the force probe.

Also, notice the card taped to the bottom of the mass ... this allows the motion detector to get a good "read" from the hanging mass.