PHYA10 - Physics I (Physical Sciences)

Practical Worksheet #11

Week #12: Monday, Nov. 29 - Friday, Dec. 03

Reading Material: Chapter 15 (15.1 - 15.2, 15.4)

1. In this activity you will study different types of oscillatory motion and the quantities used to describe it.

(a) To the right we have the position-time graph for a par-

ticle. Does the motion appear to be periodic? Does the
motion appear to be simple harmonic? What are the
period and frequency of the motion?

(b) Consider now a different position-time graph. The

motion is identical to Part (a) for 0 s < t < 8 s.
Does the motion appear to be periodic? For the
particle in Part (a) if you only have the data to
0 s < t < 8 s can you tell the difference between
that motion and the one shown to the right?

(c) To the right another position-time graph for a particle.

Does the motion appear to be periodic? Does the motion
appear to be simple harmonic? What are the period and
frequency of the motion? What is the angular frequency
of the motion?

(d) Does it make sense to talk about the angular frequency for the motion in Part (a)? Explain.

2. A block of mass M attached to a spring of constant k, oscillates back and forth with amplitude A.

At the instant shown, the block is at its maximum amplitude

and a lump of putty of mass m is dropped from a small height
sticking to the block. The mass of the spring is negligible and
the surface on which M moves is frictionless.

Find the new amplitude of oscillations of the block plus putty

system. What is the new frequency of oscillations?

3. A mass is attached to a horizontal spring and set to oscillating on a frictionless surface. At what position
(as a fraction of its amplitude) is its kinetic energy equal to twice its potential energy?

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4. Consider a small mass performing simple harmonic motion with angular frequency 10 rad/s. If we know
that at t = 0 the mass is at x0 = +5 cm moving to the right at +87 cm/s, and we want to represent the
oscillations using a cos function then ...

(a) Find the amplitude of the oscillations

(b) Find the phase constant of the oscillations
(c) Find the maximum speed of the mass
(d) Find the maximum acceleration of the mass

5. The graph included represents the potential energy for a particle oscillating when attached to a spring.

(a) Find the spring’s equilibrium length l0 and constant k.

(b) The turning points are 10. cm and 30. cm. Find the max-
imum amplitude and maximum kinetic energy of the par-
ticle.

(c) Sketch a graph of the particle’s kinetic energy as a func-

tion of position x. What is the shape of this graph?

(d) The particle has a mass of 2.0 kg. Find the particle’s
maximum speed. Graph the speed of the particle as a
function of x.

(e) If the total energy of the particle is tripled, what will be

its maximum speed and maximum amplitude?

6. A vertical massless spring of constant k has a platform of mass M attached to it. A mass m is sitting on
top of the platform but is not fixed to it. The two masses are oscillating with amplitude A.

There is a vertical position known as the equilibrium point,

where the gravitational force acting on the system platform-
mass balances exactly the force made by the spring, so that
the net force on the system is zero.

(a) Imagine that the oscillation is so extreme that m just

loses contact with the platform. Where is this going to
occur and why?

(b) What is the value of the amplitude A for which m just

loses contact with the platform?

7. A 2.0 kg bucket is attached to a horizontal ideal spring and rests on frictionless ice. You have a 1.0 kg mass
that you must drop into the bucket. Where should the bucket be when you drop the mass (so it is moving
purely vertically when it lands in the bucket) if your goal is to:

(a) Maximize the amplitude of the oscillation of the resulting 3.0 kg mass and spring system.
(b) Minimize the amplitude of the oscillation of the resulting 3.0 kg mass and spring system.