Solving Simple Harmonic Problem 2: Acceleration-Displacement Equation Help

  • Thread starter Thread starter thunderhadron
  • Start date Start date
  • Tags Tags
    Harmonic
AI Thread Summary
The discussion focuses on deriving the acceleration-displacement equation for a simple harmonic motion problem. The user attempts to differentiate the potential energy function to find the force, leading to an expression for acceleration. They correctly note that for small oscillations, the cubic term can be neglected, simplifying the equation to acceleration = - (2a/m).x. Despite this, there is confusion regarding the book's answer, which the user believes is incorrect. The consensus suggests that the user has arrived at the correct solution, indicating a potential error in the textbook.
thunderhadron
Messages
140
Reaction score
0
Hi friends the problem is -

https://fbcdn-sphotos-d-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-prn1/30370_2656498989013_1471109032_n.jpg

Attempt -

friends as per the question I am trying to get the acceleration- displacement equation for this problem. So I am using

F = - (dU / dx)
Differentiating Potential energy function w.r.t. x I get,

F = - (2a + 4b .x3)

But F = mass. acceleration so,

acceleration = - (2a/m + 4b/m x3)

Now I am sticking here that how to proceed further to get the result like,

acceleration = - ω2 . x

Please friends help me in solving this Problem.

Thank you all in advance.
 
Physics news on Phys.org
Check to make sure that you took the derivative of ax2 correctly. Also keep in mind that you are considering "small" oscillations.
 
TSny said:
Check to make sure that you took the derivative of ax2 correctly. Also keep in mind that you are considering "small" oscillations.

F = - (dU / dx)
Differentiating Potential energy function w.r.t. x I get,

F = - (2ax + 4b .x3)

But F = mass. acceleration so,

acceleration = - (2a/m.x + 4b/m x3)

It is for small oscillations so x3 will be neglected.

Hence accn = -(2a/m).x

acceleration = - ω2 . x

hence The answer comes, ω = √(2a/m)

Yet the answer is not achieved. In the book the answer is option (B)
 
I think you got the right answer. I don't see how (B) could be the answer.
 
TSny said:
I think you got the right answer. I don't see how (B) could be the answer.

Yes there is mistake in the answer of book.
 
Kindly see the attached pdf. My attempt to solve it, is in it. I'm wondering if my solution is right. My idea is this: At any point of time, the ball may be assumed to be at an incline which is at an angle of θ(kindly see both the pics in the pdf file). The value of θ will continuously change and so will the value of friction. I'm not able to figure out, why my solution is wrong, if it is wrong .
TL;DR Summary: I came across this question from a Sri Lankan A-level textbook. Question - An ice cube with a length of 10 cm is immersed in water at 0 °C. An observer observes the ice cube from the water, and it seems to be 7.75 cm long. If the refractive index of water is 4/3, find the height of the ice cube immersed in the water. I could not understand how the apparent height of the ice cube in the water depends on the height of the ice cube immersed in the water. Does anyone have an...
Back
Top