PURPOSE: To show series and parallel combinations of springs.
DESCRIPTION: Two springs of equal spring constant are combined in
parallel to show the effective total spring constant is k(parallel) = k(1) + k(2).
Two springs of equal spring constant are combined in series to show that 1/k(series) = 1/k(1) + 1/k(2).
One might say that the spring constants will add like a capacitor network, not like a resistor network. That is, the spring constants of a series network are summed as the inverse. The spring constants of a parallel network are summed directly.
EQUIPMENT: Springs, mass, ruler.
SETUP NOTES: Stored in mechanics.
Updated by Jun Qi in 3/24/2000