Finding Angular Frequency

1. Oct 23, 2008

JSmith89

1. The problem statement, all variables and given/known data
A 60-coil spring has a spring constant of 434 N/m. It is cut into two shorter springs, each of which has 30 coils. One end of a 30-coil spring is attached to a wall. An object of mass 45.1 kg is attached to the other end of the spring, and the system is set into horizontal oscillation. What is the angular frequency of the motion?

2. Relevant equations
$$\omega$$=$$\sqrt{}k/m$$

if that didn't come out right, w(omega)=the square root of k/m

3. The attempt at a solution
I believe this is the right equation, but I don't know how to factor in the spring that is cut into two separate ones...like how/if it affects the spring constant or another variable. Thanks in advance! :-)
1. The problem statement, all variables and given/known data

2. Relevant equations

3. The attempt at a solution

2. Oct 23, 2008

tiny-tim

spring!

Hi JSmith89!

Look at it from first principles …

How is the spring constant defined?

Imagine the spring being compressed while still in one piece …

how is each half affected?

And so what is the spring constant of each half?

3. Oct 23, 2008

JSmith89

ok got it. each half will have a spring constant of 2k. thanks for your help!