- #1
Flipmeister
- 32
- 0
Homework Statement
A mass m oscillating on a spring has a period T. Suppose the mass changes very slightly from m to m+Δm, where Δm << m. Find an expression for ΔT, the small change in the period. Your expression should involve T, m, and Δm, but NOT the spring constant (k).
Homework Equations
[tex]T=\frac{2\pi }{\omega}=2\pi \sqrt{\frac{m}{k}}\\
\omega=\sqrt{\frac{k}{m}}[/tex]
The Attempt at a Solution
[tex]T+ΔT=2\pi \sqrt{\frac{m+Δm}{k}}[/tex]
Would that be the right way to start off? I can't figure out how to get rid of the k there. I don't see how conservation of energy can help, especially considering that conservation of energy is how those equations were derived in the first place...