How Do I Calculate the Amplitude of a Vertical Oscillation?

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Homework Help Overview

The discussion revolves around calculating the amplitude of vertical oscillation for a block attached to a spring. The problem involves a block of mass 3.00 kg, a spring constant of 200 N/m, and an initial upward velocity of 0.900 m/s when the spring is stretched by 11.0 cm.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory, Assumption checking, Problem interpretation

Approaches and Questions Raised

  • Participants discuss the application of a specific equation to find the amplitude, questioning whether the stretch should be measured from the equilibrium position. There are also discussions about potential errors in mass conversion and decimal placement affecting the results.

Discussion Status

Participants are actively exploring different interpretations of the problem, with some suggesting that the original poster may have made errors in their calculations. There is no clear consensus on the correct answer, but multiple approaches and considerations are being discussed.

Contextual Notes

There is confusion regarding the mass of the block, with some participants questioning whether it should be 3.00 kg or 300 grams. Additionally, the original poster is under time pressure due to an upcoming midterm.

unhip_crayon
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Heres the question I am having problems solving...

A 3.00kg block hangs from a spring with a spring constant of 200.N/m and is set into vertical oscillation. The block has a velocity of 0.900m/s upwards when the spring is stretched by 11.0 cm. Calculate the amplitude of the oscillation.

So here's what I got...

K=200
m=3.00
V=0.900
x=0.11m
Xm=?

solve for Xm using this equation

http://www.cramster.com/Answer-Board/Image/cramster-equation-2008220019296333906356911195329054.gif

Am I doing it right?
Help ASAP
Thank You
 
Last edited by a moderator:
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unhip_crayon said:
solve for Xm using this equation

http://www.cramster.com/Answer-Board/Image/cramster-equation-2008220019296333906356911195329054.gif

Am I doing it right?
Help ASAP
Thank You

Yes, provided the stretch is measured from the equilibrium position in which the mass hangs after being put on the spring. In this problem, that seems to be implied.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
but the answer I am getting is incorrect. The correct answer is 11.6cm (yes i did convert m to cm from my final answer)

Can someone please solve this
Thanks
 
unhip_crayon said:
A 300kg block hangs from a spring with a spring constant of 200.N/m and is set into vertical oscillation. The block has a velocity of 0.900m/s upwards when the spring is stretched by 11.0 cm. Calculate the amplitude of the oscillation.

So here's what I got...

K=200
m=3.00
V=0.900
x=0.11m
Xm=?

It may help to note that you have somehow transmuted 300 kg into 3 kg!

Using the correct mass, the amplitude of the oscillation is 1.16 m or 116 cm - which is what is was supposed to be apart from a factor of 10? Did you mess up the decimals here as well? (No hard feelings, that happens for the best of us)
 
Troels said:
It may help to note that you have somehow transmuted 300 kg into 3 kg!

Using the correct mass, the amplitude of the oscillation is 1.16 m or 116 cm - which is what is was supposed to be apart from a factor of 10? Did you mess up the decimals here as well? (No hard feelings, that happens for the best of us)
Oops...sorry. It is suppose to be 3.00kg. According to the book, yes, the correct answer should be 11.6cm. Do you think you can solve it for me? I've got a midterm today at 11.30

Thanks
 
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unhip_crayon said:
Oops...sorry. It is suppose to be 3.00kg.

Are you sure it is not 300 *grams* = 0.3 kg? In that case I get 11.5 cm, which is the best so far - otherwise I get 15.6 cm

unhip_crayon said:
Do you think you can solve it for me?

The general symbolic solution is pretty obvious:

[tex] x_{\textrm{max}}=\sqrt{x^2+\frac{mv^2}{k}}[/tex]
Which is also what you will get from a diffential-eq approach. So it is correct - It seems that you just need to get the numbers right.
 
Last edited:
Troels said:
Are you sure it is not 300 *grams* = 0.3 kg? In that case I get 11.5 cm, which is the best so far - otherwise I get 15.6 cm



The general symbolic solution is pretty obvious:

[tex] x_{\textrm{max}}=\sqrt{x^2+\frac{mv^2}{k}}[/tex]
Which is also what you will get from a diffential-eq approach. So it is correct - It seems that you just need to get the numbers right.

ok...so maybe the books answer is incorrect because I got the same answer as you
Thanks
 
can I just check that this is the same sort of question?

"A mass at the end of a spring oscillates with a period of 2.8s. The mazimum displacement of the mass from its equilibrium position is 16cm.

a) what is the amplitude of the oscillations?
b) i) its angular frequency;
ii) its maxium acceleration.


I've looked through most of the posts about this, and I still can't work out whether this is the same sort of question, or how to work it out. please help.
 

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