Explore the Spring & Hooke's Law Simulator
Pull a mass on a spring and explore oscillation, period, damping and energy. Free, no signup, runs in your browser.
- Free to use
- No signup
- Nothing to install
- Runs in your browser
Illustration. Open the tool for the real thing.
See it in action
The Spring & Hooke's Law Simulator with sample data entered and the result showing.
What is the Spring & Hooke's Law Simulator?
Pull a mass on a spring and explore oscillation, period, damping and energy. It runs in your browser, so a change to a setting or a drag on an object shows up at once.
Springs are in car suspensions, mattresses, pens and watches. Engineers tune spring constants and damping to control vibrations and comfort.
3 steps to your result
Open the tool and follow along. Nothing to install.
What you get
Hooke's law: the spring force is F = −kx.
The period is T = 2π√(m/k). A stiffer spring or a lighter mass oscillates faster.
Energy swaps between kinetic and elastic potential, and damping slowly removes it.
Drag the block and release it.
Double the mass and see the period grow.
Add damping and watch the oscillation fade.
Used for
Pick one to see how it fits.
Physics learners
Physics students in middle school, high school and first-year university, teachers who want a quick demonstration for the projector, and anyone revising for exams.
Try it freeTeachers
For teachers: project the Spring & Hooke's Law Simulator on the board, let students predict the result, then run it together and test this: Double the mass and see the period grow. For students: change one thing at a time and write down what changes.
Try it freeHow it compares
A plain look at this tool next to the usual alternative.
| This simulation | Textbook diagram | |
|---|---|---|
| Interactive | Drag, tap and change settings | Fixed picture |
| Install | Nothing to install | Not needed |
| Cost | Free to use | Depends on the book |
Questions people ask
What is simple harmonic motion?
Motion where the restoring force is proportional to displacement, giving a smooth sine-wave oscillation. A mass on an ideal spring is the classic example.
Does amplitude change the period?
Not for an ideal spring. The period depends only on mass and spring constant.
Is the Spring & Hooke's Law Simulator free to use?
Yes. The Spring & Hooke's Law Simulator is free, needs no signup or download and runs in your web browser. It is part of the Physics group of AZRS simulations.
Does the Spring & Hooke's Law Simulator work on a phone or tablet?
Yes. The Spring & Hooke's Law Simulator takes touch input as well as mouse input, so you can use its 14 adjustable settings with a finger. A larger screen makes the controls and graphs easier to read.
How do I use the Spring & Hooke's Law Simulator?
1. In the Spring & Hooke's Law Simulator, use the controls to change Planet, Damping, Spring 1 stiffness, Spring 2 stiffness, Spring 3 stiffness, and more. The simulation reacts instantly. 2. In the Spring & Hooke's Law Simulator, pick an option such as Earth, Moon, Jupiter, Mars to switch modes or load an example. 3. In the Spring & Hooke's Law Simulator, press "Start timer", "Reset timer", "Stop bouncing", "Reset" to start, reset or change what is happening. 4. Start with this experiment: Drag the block and release it. Drag any glowing handle, object or slider with your mouse or finger and the Spring & Hooke's Law Simulator responds in real time. 5. Change one setting at a time and watch which readout moves, then compare it with this idea: Hooke's law: the spring force is F = −kx.
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Try the Spring & Hooke's Law Simulator now
Pull a mass on a spring and explore oscillation, period, damping and energy. Free to use.
Try it free