Calculating Oscillatory Motion: Mass, Spring Constant, and Displacement

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In summary, a block of mass 0.900 kg is attached to a horizontal spring with a spring constant of 94.5 N/m. The block is given a displacement of +0.120 m along the +x axis and then released from rest. The force exerted by the spring on the block just before release is unknown. The angular frequency of the resulting oscillatory motion is also unknown. The maximum speed of the block and the maximum acceleration can be determined using equations such as x = Acos(ωt), Vmax = Aω, and F = -kx (Hooke's Law).
  • #1
ktc282
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A block of mass m = 0.900 kg is fastened to an unstrained horizontal spring whose spring constant is k = 94.5 N/m. The block is given a displacement of +0.120 m, where the + sign indicates that the displacement is along the +x axis, and then released from rest.
(a) What is the force (magnitude and direction) that the spring exerts on the block just before the block is released?
N

(b) Find the angular frequency of the resulting oscillary motion.
rad/s

(c) What is the maximum speed of the block?
m/s

(d) Determine the magnitude of the maximum acceleration of the block.
m/s2
 
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  • #2
What are the equations you're looking at using for this?
 
  • #3
x=Acos * angular frequency * time
Vmax=A* angular frequency
 
  • #4
Here's one to start with, and should spring* to mind anytime you see a problem with a spring-- Hooke's Law:

F = -kx

relating the restoring force imparted by the spring on an object displaced from equilibrium.

*sorry, I simply couldn't resist the pun :-)
 

1. How do I calculate the period of an oscillating mass?

The period of an oscillating mass can be calculated using the formula T = 2π√(m/k), where T is the period in seconds, m is the mass of the object in kilograms, and k is the spring constant in N/m.

2. What is the relationship between mass and period in oscillatory motion?

The period of oscillation increases as the mass of the object increases. This means that the heavier the object, the longer it takes to complete one full cycle of oscillation.

3. How does the spring constant affect the period of an oscillating mass?

The spring constant is directly proportional to the period of an oscillating mass. This means that as the spring constant increases, the period of oscillation also increases.

4. Can I use the same formula to calculate the period of any type of oscillatory motion?

Yes, the formula T = 2π√(m/k) can be used to calculate the period of any type of oscillatory motion, as long as the motion is simple harmonic motion (SHM) and the restoring force is directly proportional to the displacement from equilibrium.

5. How do I calculate the maximum displacement of an oscillating mass?

The maximum displacement of an oscillating mass can be calculated using the formula x = A sin(2πt/T), where x is the displacement in meters, A is the amplitude of oscillation, t is the time in seconds, and T is the period in seconds.

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