Conceptual - Mass, Period, Spring Constant

In summary, the conversation discusses various statements about how changing certain factors, such as mass, amplitude, and spring constant, will affect the period and frequency of a simple harmonic motion. The correct statements are: quadrupling the mass will not double the period, tripling the amplitude will not sextuple the frequency, doubling the amplitude will not change the frequency, halving the amplitude will quadruple the frequency, and doubling the spring constant will halve the period. The equations governing simple harmonic motion are also mentioned, including the role of mass and spring constant in determining the frequency.
  • #1
sheri1987
48
0

Homework Statement



True or False

Quadrupling the mass will double the period.
Tripling the amplitude will sextuple the frequency.
Doubling the amplitude will not change the frequency.
Halving the amplitude will quadruple the frequency.
Doubling the spring constant will halve the period

Homework Equations



w=(2pi)frequency
*mass has no role in the period

The Attempt at a Solution


I put
False
False
False
True
False

What am I doing wrong?
 
Physics news on Phys.org
  • #3


Your responses are correct. It is important to remember that the period of a spring-mass system is affected by the spring constant and the mass, but not by the amplitude. Therefore, changing the mass or the spring constant will change the period, but changing the amplitude will not. Additionally, the relationship between the period and the mass is not a direct proportion, so quadrupling the mass will not necessarily double the period. Similarly, the frequency is affected by the spring constant and the mass, but not by the amplitude. Therefore, changing the amplitude will not change the frequency. The relationship between frequency and amplitude is a direct proportion, so halving the amplitude will quadruple the frequency. Lastly, doubling the spring constant will halve the period, as the period is inversely proportional to the square root of the spring constant. It is important to understand the concepts and equations involved in order to correctly answer these types of questions.
 

What is mass?

Mass refers to the amount of matter in an object. It is a measure of an object's inertia, or resistance to changes in motion.

What is period?

Period is the time it takes for one complete cycle of a repeating event, such as the oscillation of a spring. It is typically measured in seconds.

What is spring constant?

Spring constant, also known as spring stiffness, is a measure of the stiffness of a spring. It is a constant value that relates the force applied to a spring to the resulting displacement.

How do mass and period affect the oscillation of a spring?

The mass of an object attached to a spring affects the period of its oscillation. A heavier object will have a longer period, while a lighter object will have a shorter period. The spring constant also plays a role, as a spring with a higher spring constant will result in a smaller period.

What is Hooke's law and how does it relate to spring constant?

Hooke's law states that the force applied to a spring is directly proportional to the resulting displacement. This relationship is represented by the equation F = -kx, where k is the spring constant and x is the displacement. Therefore, the spring constant is a measure of how much force is required to displace a spring a certain distance.

Similar threads

  • Introductory Physics Homework Help
Replies
17
Views
278
  • Introductory Physics Homework Help
Replies
17
Views
238
  • Introductory Physics Homework Help
Replies
10
Views
794
  • Introductory Physics Homework Help
Replies
8
Views
1K
  • Introductory Physics Homework Help
Replies
24
Views
891
  • Introductory Physics Homework Help
Replies
9
Views
2K
  • Introductory Physics Homework Help
Replies
7
Views
6K
  • Introductory Physics Homework Help
Replies
5
Views
982
  • Introductory Physics Homework Help
Replies
3
Views
4K
  • Introductory Physics Homework Help
Replies
16
Views
3K
Back
Top