In a simple harmonic motion, what is the relationship between the period and the mass of the oscillating object?
Practice Questions
1 question
Q1
In a simple harmonic motion, what is the relationship between the period and the mass of the oscillating object?
Directly proportional
Inversely proportional
Independent
Exponential
In simple harmonic motion, the period is independent of mass for a given spring constant, but for a pendulum, it is independent of mass.
Questions & Step-by-step Solutions
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Q
Q: In a simple harmonic motion, what is the relationship between the period and the mass of the oscillating object?
Solution: In simple harmonic motion, the period is independent of mass for a given spring constant, but for a pendulum, it is independent of mass.
Steps: 5
Step 1: Understand what simple harmonic motion (SHM) is. It is a type of periodic motion where an object moves back and forth around a central point.
Step 2: Identify the two common systems that exhibit SHM: a mass on a spring and a pendulum.
Step 3: For a mass on a spring, the period (time for one complete cycle) depends on the spring constant (how stiff the spring is) but not on the mass of the object attached to the spring.
Step 4: For a pendulum, the period also does not depend on the mass of the pendulum bob; it mainly depends on the length of the pendulum and the acceleration due to gravity.
Step 5: Conclude that in both cases (spring and pendulum), the period of oscillation is independent of the mass of the oscillating object.
