To show how force, work, and energy are connected, we can do a fun experiment with a spring and a weight.

What You Need:

• A spring (make sure you know how strong it is, called the spring constant, $k$)
• A weight (1 kg)
• A ruler
• A stopwatch
• A scale (to measure force)

Steps to Follow:

1. Push the Spring: First, squeeze the spring and measure how much it moves (we call this displacement, or $x$, in meters).

2. Find the Force: Use Hooke's Law, which says, $F = kx$, to find out how much force the spring is pushing back with.

3. Calculate Work Done: Now, figure out the work done on the weight when you move it a distance $d$ (also in meters), using this formula: $W = F \cdot d$

4. Convert Energy: Let go of the spring to turn its stored energy (called potential energy) into moving energy (called kinetic energy). Use the stopwatch to measure how fast the weight is moving.

Analyzing the Results:

• Calculate the potential energy stored in the spring with this formula: $PE = \frac{1}{2}kx^2$

• Check that the work you calculated matches the change in energy. This shows how force, work, and energy are linked.

Wrapping It Up:

Do this experiment several times (at least 5 times). By averaging your results, you can see that the relationship we talked about between forces, work, and energy is reliable and true.