Springs and Elastic Force

Lab Brief #6

🎯 Your mission

Run the experiment. Find out what really happens.

⚡ The twist

Speed isn't the same as force. Don't mix them up.

What you'll learn

A spring pushes or pulls back with an elastic force when it is stretched or squeezed. The more you stretch a spring, the stronger it pulls back, which is how spring scales weigh objects and trampolines bounce you upward.

Key words

force
A push or pull that can make an object move or stop.

Make a hypothesis first

Guess: where does the energy go?

Say your guess out loud — then find out if you were right.

Get ready

🧰 What you need

weights
spring scale

⚠️ Safety first

Have an adult check your set-up before you start, and tidy everything away afterwards.

Step 1 of 4 · Read

Look at the vocabulary words and write a definition for each in your own words.

Step 2 of 4 · Do

Test friction: pull a weighted box across 4 surfaces (carpet, tile, sandpaper, foil). Use a spring scale to measure the force needed for each.

Step 3 of 4 · Observe

Look for patterns in your observations.

Step 4 of 4 · Record

Make a graph or chart showing your results.

Question 1 of 3

What is gravity?

How sure are you?😐 maybe

Question 2 of 3

What causes an object to accelerate?

How sure are you?😐 maybe

Question 3 of 3

What type of energy does a stretched rubber band have?

How sure are you?😐 maybe

Mind = blown

⚡ Static electricity is the same physics as lightning, just smaller.

Nice work!

You got 0 of 3 right.

Next: Mechanical Advantage All lessons

🎯

Next Smart Experiment

We'll pick an experiment that matches exactly how you're thinking right now.

✨ More to explore

🌍 Where you see this in real life: This is why airplanes can fly and why rockets reach space.

🏆 Stretch challenge (try it this week): This week, find one thing in your house that turns one kind of energy into another.

👨‍👩‍👧 For the dinner table: “Show me something at home that uses this kind of energy.”

⚡Share card

Share this experiment

Send it to a parent who's looking for a 10-minute kitchen science win.

Springs and Elastic Force

Next Smart Experiment

Share this experiment

Springs and Elastic Force

Done with science? Try something else

Your Cart (0)