May/June 2024 Paper 61 (Alternative to Practical)

A student investigates the stretching of a spring.

Fig. 1.1 shows the set-up with a clamp stand, metre ruler, bench, and suspended spring.

The student measures, and records in Table 1.1, the unstretched length l₀ of the spring. He does not include the loops at the ends of the spring in the measurement. The value l₀ is the length of the spring when the load L on the spring is 0.00 N.

Describe one technique you would use to obtain an accurate value for l₀. Draw a diagram or select the correct experimental method to illustrate your answer.