Physics 315: Oscillations and Waves Homework 1: Simple Harmonic Oscillation: Due in class on Wednesday, Sep.

11th

1. A mass stands on a platform that executes simple harmonic oscillation in a vertical direction at a frequency of 5 Hz. Show that the mass loses contact with the platform when the displacement exceeds 102 m. 2. Two light springs have spring constants k1 and k2 , respectively, and are used in a vertical orientation to support an object of mass m. Show that the angular frequency of small amplitude oscillations about the equilibrium state is [(k1 + k2 )/m]1/2 if the springs are in parallel, and [k1 k2 /(k1 + k2 ) m]1/2 if the springs are in series. 3. A body of uniform cross-sectional area A and mass density oats in a liquid of density 0 (where < 0 ), and at equilibrium displaces a volume V . Making use of Archimedes principle (that the buoyancy force acting on a partially submerged body is equal to the mass of the displaced liquid), show that the period of small amplitude oscillations about the equilibrium position is V T = 2 . gA 4. A particle of mass m slides in a frictionless semi-circular depression in the ground of radius R. Find the angular frequency of small amplitude oscillations about the particles equilibrium position, assuming that the oscillations are essentially one dimensional, so that the particle passes through the lowest point of the depression during each oscillation cycle. 5. A circular hoop of diameter d hangs on a nail. What is the period of its small amplitude oscillations? 6. A pendulum consists of a uniform circular disk of radius r which is free to turn about a horizontal axis perpendicular to its plane. Find the position of the axis for which the periodic time (for small amplitude oscillations) is a minimum.

7. A pendulum in a pendulum clock consists of a uniform rod. The pendulum is required to complete a half-cycle of its oscillation every second. Assuming that the oscillation amplitude is small, how long does the rod need to be (a) if the clock is located at the equator, where g = 9.789 m s2 (b) if the clock is located at the north pole, where g = 9.823 m s2 ?