Mass of a Spring: Does it Affect the Period?

[courtney1121]

Any real spring has mass. Do you think that this mass would make the actual period of a real harmonic oscillator longer or shorter than the period predicted by the equation T= 2*pi*square root m/k. Explain your reasoning.

I think it will affect the period because I am thinking that the mass of the spring will determine the value for k. So if k is varying then, yes it will affect the period.

Does it make sense that the mass of the spring is related to k?

 

[radou]

This might give you a small clue: http://www.emporia.edu/physics/keithron/collegelab2/shm.htm" .

 

[courtney1121]

What does the effective mass of the spring mean?

 

[radou]

What does the effective mass of the spring mean?

This is the point at which you should do some google-ing, since I'm powerless in further explanation.

 

[courtney1121]

lol ok and thanks so much for that website, it definitely helped. It was exactly what I was looking for.