Spring-Mass Oscillator

About This Experiment

Explore Hooke's law (F = -kx) and simple harmonic motion with a spring-mass system. The period T = 2π√(m/k) depends only on mass and spring constant, not on amplitude. Observe how potential energy (½kx²) converts to kinetic energy (½mv²) as the mass oscillates, with total mechanical energy remaining constant in the absence of damping.

Add damping to see how energy is gradually lost to friction, causing amplitude to decrease over time while period remains nearly constant. This demonstrates the difference between ideal and real oscillatory systems.