Lesson 2: Bounce Back

Newton showed that force equals mass times acceleration, and Hooke demonstrated that the force on a spring is equal to the spring constant for that spring multiplied by the distance the spring compresses. Can you put these two equations together and find the g value for various space objects?

Doing the science

1. Start the Space Gravity Simulation by clicking on the "Sim" tab.
2. Note and record above Table 1 the ten-letter Location code.
3. Note and record in Table 1 the spring constant (in N/m) and the original length (in meters) of the spring that are displayed on the far right-hand side of the screen.
4. Click and drag the 1-kg mass onto the spring.
5. Note and record in Table 1 the new length (in meters). Note the spring constant does not change during the entire experiment (symbolized by k).
6. Calculate and record in Table 1 the change in spring length (symbolized by x).
7. Combine Newton’s law (F = mg) and Hooke’s Law (F = kx) to solve for the value of g. Record your calculated g value in Table 2.
8. Remove the 1-kg from the spring and repeat steps 4 – 7 for the 2-kg mass.
9. Click the Identify button and choose the Space Location from the list that most closely matches your g-value. Record this Space Location in Table 2 in the column labeled "Identification."