PSC150S: Physics

Assignment 4
Due date:

Monday 25th March, 2024

4.1 In an engine, a piston oscillates with

simple harmonic motion so that its position varies according to
the expression x = 5.00 cos 2t + π3 , where x is in centimeters and t is in seconds. At t = 0, find:
(a) the position of the particle,
(b) its velocity, and
(c) its acceleration. Find
(d) the period and
(e) the amplitude of the motion.
(f) the phase constant, and
(g) the position of the particle at t = 0.250 s.
4.2 A spring is mounted in a linear oscillator. It is determined in this particular oscillator that a 4 N force
on the spring will cause a displacement of 0.02 meters. A 2 kg block is pulled a distance of 0.04 meters
and then released, setting the system in motion.
(a) Find the spring constant.
(b) Find the period and frequency of oscillation.
(c) Calculate the maximum velocity attained.
(d) Calculate the maximum acceleration.
(e) Determine the total energy in the system.
(f) Calculate the maximum potential energy.
(g) Calculate the maximum kinetic energy.
4.3 A 0.500 kg object attached to a spring with a force constant of 8.00 N/m vibrates in simple harmonic
motion with an amplitude of 10.0 cm. Calculate the maximum value of its
(a) speed and acceleration,
(b) the speed and the acceleration when the object is 6.00 cm from the equilibrium position,
(c) and the time interval required for the object to move from x = 0 to x = 8.00 cm.
4.4 6. A block of mass 608 grams is fastened to a spring whose spring constant is 65 N/m. The block is
pulled a distance of 11 cm from its equilibrium position and then released.
(a) What force does the spring exert on the block just before the block is released?
(b) What are the angular frequency, frequency and period?
(c) What is the amplitude of oscillation?
(d) What is the maximum speed of the block?
(e) What is the magnitude of the maximum acceleration?

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 (f) What is the total mechanical energy?
(g) What is the potential energy when the displacement is halfway to the end point?
(h) What is the kinetic energy at this point?
(i) What is the speed at this point?

4.5 In an electric shaver, the blade moves back and forth over a distance of 2.0 mm in simple harmonic
motion, with frequency 120 Hz. Find (a) the amplitude, (b) the maximum blade speed, and (c) the
magnitude of the maximum acceleration.
4.6 In an electric shaver, the blade moves back and forth over a distance of 2.0 mm in simple harmonic
motion, with frequency 120 Hz. Find (a) the amplitude, (b) the maximum blade speed, and (c) the
magnitude of the maximum acceleration.
4.7 The end of one of the prongs of a tuning fork that executes simple harmonic motion of frequency 1000
Hz has an amplitude of 0.40 mm. Find (a) the maximum acceleration and (b) the maximum speed of
the end of the prong. Find (c) the acceleration and (d) the speed of the end of the prong when the
end has a displacement of 0.20 mm

4.8 A 7.00 kg mass is hung from the bottom end of a vertical spring fastened to an overhead beam. The
mass is set into vertical oscillations having a period of 2.60 s. Find the force constant of the spring.
4.9 A particle executes simple harmonic motion with an amplitude of 3.00 cm. At what displacement from
the midpoint of its motion does its speed equal one half of its maximum speed?

4.10 A simple pendulum has a period of 2.50 s. (a) What is its length? (b) What would its period be on
the Moon, where gM oon = 1.67 ms2 ?
4.11 If a simple pendulum with length 1.50 m makes 72.0 oscillations in 180 s, what is the acceleration of
gravity at its location?
4.12 What is the period of a pendulum with a length of 1.4 m?

4.13 The speed at grandfather clock is controlled by a swinging pendulum. If the pendulum is currently
15.0 cm in length, by how much should the length be changed to shorten the period by 0.0400 s?
4.14 A seconds pendulum is one that moves through its equilibrium position once each second. (The period
of the pendulum is precisely 2 s.) The length of a seconds pendulum is 0.9927 m at Tokyo, Japan, and
0.9942 m at Cambridge, England. What is the ratio of the freefall accelerations at these two locations?
4.15 An astronaut travels to a far-away moon with a 1.5 m long pendulum. She finds it takes her pendulum
6.0837 seconds to complete one full oscillation.

(a) What is the acceleration due to gravity on this moon?

(b) What is the frequency of this pendulum?
(c) If this pendulum were brought back to Earth, how would its frequency on Earth compare to its
frequency while on the moon?

4.16 A loudspeaker produces a musical sound by means of the oscillation of a diaphragm. If the amplitude
of oscillation is limited to 1.0 × 10−3 mm.

(a) At what frequency is the magnitude of the diaphragms acceleration equal to g?

(b) For greater frequencies, is greater than or less than g ?
4.17 A simple pendulum makes 120 complete oscillations in 3.00 min at a location where g = 9.80 m/s2 .
Find (a) the period of the pendulum and (b) its length.