What is the Spring Constant of a Spider's Silk Thread?

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Homework Help Overview

The problem involves determining the spring constant of a spider's silk thread based on the oscillation of a spider suspended from it. The context includes a specific mass of the spider and a measured period of oscillation.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory, Mathematical reasoning, Assumption checking

Approaches and Questions Raised

  • Participants discuss the relationship between the period of oscillation and the spring constant, using equations related to angular frequency and mass. There are questions about the correctness of the period assumption and the calculations leading to the spring constant.

Discussion Status

Some participants have confirmed the approach of equating the two equations to isolate for the spring constant. There is an ongoing examination of the calculations, with one participant expressing uncertainty about their result and the assumptions made regarding the period.

Contextual Notes

Participants are working with a mass given in grams, which may require conversion to kilograms for calculations. There is also a note about the expected units for the spring constant being in N/m.

brunettegurl
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Homework Statement



A 2.60 g spider is dangling at the end of a silk thread. You can make the spider bounce up and down on the thread by tapping lightly on his feet with a pencil. You soon discover that you can give the spider the largest amplitude on his little bungee cord if you tap exactly once every 4.90 s seconds. What is the spring constant of the silk thread.

Homework Equations



[tex]\omega[/tex]= 2[tex]\pi[/tex]/T
[tex]\omega[/tex]= [tex]\sqrt{}k/m[/tex]

The Attempt at a Solution


so i equated the 2 equations and tried to isolate for k and this is what my equation looked like : m*(2[tex]\pi[/tex]/T)^2 = k ..i tried rearranging twice and my answer and equation are coming out the same ..pls. help
 
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brunettegurl said:
so i equated the 2 equations and tried to isolate for k and this is what my equation looked like : m*(2[tex]\pi[/tex]/T)^2 = k ..i tried rearranging twice and my answer and equation are coming out the same ..pls. help
That looks fine to me. Why do you think it's not?
 
when i put the answer into my hwk the answer is appparently wrong..i was also wondering if i was right in assuming the period to be 4.90 seconds??
 
brunettegurl said:

Homework Statement



A 2.60 g spider is dangling at the end of a silk thread. You can make the spider bounce up and down on the thread by tapping lightly on his feet with a pencil. You soon discover that you can give the spider the largest amplitude on his little bungee cord if you tap exactly once every 4.90 s seconds. What is the spring constant of the silk thread.

Homework Equations



[tex]\omega[/tex]= 2[tex]\pi[/tex]/T
[tex]\omega[/tex]= [tex]\sqrt{}k/m[/tex]

The Attempt at a Solution


so i equated the 2 equations and tried to isolate for k and this is what my equation looked like : m*(2[tex]\pi[/tex]/T)^2 = k ..i tried rearranging twice and my answer and equation are coming out the same ..pls. help


What value did you get ? Did you convert the mass to kg ? (I assume they want the k in N/m)
 
the value i am getting is 4.85x10^-3 N/m
 
brunettegurl said:
i was also wondering if i was right in assuming the period to be 4.90 seconds??
Yes, that was correct.
 
brunettegurl said:
the value i am getting is 4.85x10^-3 N/m
Double check your arithmetic.
 
thankx i got it :))
 

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