Question

Show all your steps and draw diagrams where necessary.

1.         A 780-g mass is attached to a vertical spring and lowered slowly until the mass rests at its equilibrium position 30 cm below the original length of the spring. It is then set into simple harmonic motion of amplitude 5 cm.

            (a)        What is the frequency and period of the oscillation?

(b)       What is the maximum velocity of the oscillating mass? Where does the maximum velocity occur?

(c)        What is the maximum acceleration of the oscillating mass? Where does the maximum acceleration occur?

(d)       Draw a diagram (a graph) showing how the total energy of the oscillating system changes with time.

2.         The G string of a guitar which should be 392 Hz is playing flat at 380 Hz. What percentage change in the tension of the wire is required so as to tune the string to 392 Hz?

Answer 1