SIMPLE HARMONIC
MOTION PROBLEMS (RD SEC 12-1, 12-2 first)
Simple Harmonic
Oscillators/Waves/
Pendulum Period=
Spring: Period=
where k is the
spring constant k= Force/distance
= ma/x
Period T =1/ƒ , ƒ
= 1/T, v = ƒ * WL for any wave
***x = A0 sin ω t where ω2 = k/m , ω=
angular frequency = 2π ƒ
-----------------------------------
1 A clown is
rocking on a rocking chair in the dark. His glowing red nose moves back and
forth a distance of 0.42 m exactly 30 times a MINUTE, in a simple harmonic motion.
Draw a picture
a) What is the
amplitude of this motion?
b) What is the
period of this motion?
c) What is the
frequency of this motion?

d. The top of the
clown’s hat contains a small light bulb that shines a narrow light beam. The
beam makes a spot on the wall that goes back and forth between two dots placed
1.00 m apart as the clown rocks. What are the amplitude, period, and frequency
of the motion?

2) a 5.00 kg block
hung on a spring causes a 10.0 cm elongation of the spring.
a) What is the restoring
force exerted on the block by the spring?
b) What is the
spring constant?
c) What force is
required to stretch this spring 8.5 cm horizontally?
d) What will the
spring’s elongation be when pulled by a force of 77.7 N?
e) According to
Section 12-2, what is the period of this oscillation?
Pg. 451 Sec
Review:
1) Two mass-spring
systems vibrate with simple harmonic motion. If the spring constants of each
system are equal and the mass of one is twice that of the other, which system
has a greater period?

2. A child swings
on a playground swing with a 2.5 m long chain.
a)
What is the period of the child’s motion?
b) What is the
frequency of the vibration?
3. A pendulum
swings from maximum displacement on one side of equilibrium to maximum displacement
on the opposite side of equilibrium. If the pendulum swings through a total of
24°, what is the amplitude of this vibration?
Sketch a graph of
how the horizontal displacement and velocity would change over time. **Honors*
Find the equation that shows this.

4. The reading on
a metronome indicates the number of oscillations per minute. What are the
period and frequency of the metronome’s vibration when the metronome is set at
180?

By what factor
should the length of a simple pendulum be changed if the period of vibration
were to be tripled?
A) 3 B) 1/3 C) 9 D) 27
A pendulum with a
mass of 0.1 kg was released. The string made an angle of 7 ° with the vertical.
The bob of the pendulum returns to its lowest point every 0.1 seconds.
What
is the period, frequency, amplitude?
The pendulum is
replaced by one with a mass of 0.3 kg and set to swing at a 15 ° angle. How do
the period and frequency change? Why or why not?
If this pendulum
was set to keep time and then brought to the moon ( gravity is 1/6th
of Earth), what property would you have to change to make sure it kept the same
accurate time?
*** Honors**By how
much?