Everything from pens to cars use springs — some are just on a larger scale! An interactive simulation encourages pupils to stretch and compress springs while observing the changes to force, displacement, and potential energy. Then they investigate the difference of setting springs up in series versus having them parallel.

Concepts

springs, force, potential energy, hooke's law, vectors

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Additional Tags

science

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Instructional Ideas

• Work with springs during an in-class experiment
• Practice drawing vector diagrams

Classroom Considerations

• Requires the latest versions of Chrome, Firefox, Safari, or Internet Explorer 10+

Pros

• Includes links to a couple of lessons that use this simulation as either a demo or lab
• Translates into more than 30 languages — great for any non-English speaking students
• Divides simulation into an introduction, systems, and energy

Cons

• None

Common Core

RST.6-8.4 RST.9-10.4 RST.11-12.4