Solutions to Oscillations

Level 1

1. B
At equilibrium, mg = ke
(0.20)(9.81) = k(0.050).
k = 39.24 Nm-1
Then apply amax = 2xo= (k/m) (0.020) = (39.24/0.20) (0.020) = 3.9 m s-2

2. A
( )

( ) = 0.5 t = 11400 s

3. C
From figure, T = 2.0 s
= 2/T = 2/2.0 rad s-1
vmax = x0 = (3.0 x 10-2) =0.094 m s-1

4. C
Gradient at C is a positive value. Gradient to x-t is velocity.
The a-t graph is the reflection of the x-t graph about the x-axis.
The acceleration at C is a positive value.

5. B
a = F/m = 0.30/0.10 = 3.0 m s-2
3.0 = 2(0.030) = 10 rad s-1
vmax = x0 = 10 (3.0) = 30 cm s-1

6. A
The motion of the mass from point 3 to point 2 involves x in the negative quadrants.
Since the motion is upwards, the velocity is positive.

7. B
E = m 2 x02
Amplitude halved x0 halved
Frequency doubled doubled

8. D
In SHM, acceleration and displacement are opposite in direction to each other ( rad out of phase).

9. C
Since the total vertical distance is 2.0 cm, x0 = 0.010 m.
amax = 2x0 = [2(2.4)]2(0.010) = 2.3 m s-2

10. C
The shadow of the bob movement on the screen will be momentarily at rest at the two extremes and maximum at
the centre i.e., vmax = (2/2.16)(0.500) = 1.45 m s-1.

11. A
2.20 = 2x0 -------- (1)
0.070 = (x02 0.0402) ---------- (2)
Solving, x0 = 4.1 cm.

12. A
Amplitude = 50 mm, equilibrium position at 155 mm
Displacement from 155 mm = 180 -155 mm = 25 mm
x = xo sin t
25 = 50 sin [(2/2)t]
t = 1/6 = 0.17 s

1
13. B
When an oscillation is damped, it loses energy, regardless of whether at resonance or not.

14. C
At Q, the gradient of the graph gives the largest velocity, hence maximum KE.
The KE at P is minimum, the PE at Q is minimum.
Since the graph is sinusoidal, the point of half total energy is not at so/2.

15. (a) period, frequency and angular frequency

(b)
t

2 T
1
2
4

rad
2
(c) x 0.15 cos 2 t
(d)
v x o2 x 2
2 (0.12)
0.75 m s 1

16. KE at zero when time = 0, therefore it is released at amplitude, hence a sin graph for displacement-time graph.
Hence the acceleration-time graph is a reflection of the displacement-time graph, so a cosine graph.

17. (a) The object begins to lose contact when the acceleration of the plate equals the acceleration of free fall of the
object.

(b) Taking downwards as positive,

W-N = ma
g = a for N=0
9.81 = 2xo = (2f)2(40 x 103)
f = 2.49 Hz
(c) vo = xo
= (40 x 103) (2)(2.49)
= 0.626 m s1

(d) Total energy = Maximum KE

= m vo2
= (0.050)(0.626)2
= 9.80 x103 J

18. (a) - total energy, or maximum kinetic energy, or maximum potential energy,
- maximum velocity, minimum velocity
- amplitude,
- period, or frequency, or angular frequency

[2] for any two quantities stated

2
 b(i) From the graph,
maximum potential energy = maximum kinetic energy
= 1.0 10 3 J
1
b(ii) Since mvmax 2 1.0 mJ,
2
1
m 1.0 2 1.0 10 3
2
m 2.0 10 3 kg

b(iii)
1
m 2 x 2
PE 2
0.20
KE 1
2
m xo x
2 2 2


x 2 0.20 10 2 x 2
x 4.1 mm

1
initial P.E. = 12 kx
2
19. (a)(i) (1000)(0.1)2 = 5.00 J
2
(ii) effect of air resistance: light damping exponential decay in magnitude of PE.

6
5
4
P.E. / J

3
2
1
0
-1 0 1 2 3 4 5
t/s

20. a(i) A body is moving with SHM if its acceleration is directed towards a fixed point and is directly
proportional to its displacement from that fixed point.

a(ii)
acceleration

displacement

3
 a(iii)
2 1/2
1. v =(xo2 x )
2 2 1/2
0.3 = (2/T) (0.10 0.06 )
1/2
Period T = (2/0.3) (0.0064)
= 1.676
= 1.7 s

2. vmax = xo = (2/1.676)(0.10)
-1
= 0.375 = 0.38 m s

a(iv) Fnet = ma
W N = ma
N = W ma = m (g-a)
When N = 0 as the mass losses contact with the platform
a=g
g = 2xo
2 2
maximum amplitude xo = g/ = 9.81 / (2/1.676) = 0.6976 = 0.70 m
b(i) When the frequency of wave generated by the earthquake is equal to the natural frequency of the
building, resonance occurs where the vibration amplitude is the greatest.

amplitude of vibration of the building

frequency of earthquake

fo natural frequency of the building

b(ii) The maximum amplitude will be lowered. All amplitudes at the different frequencies will be lowered.

21. (i) The sphere is oscillating at its natural frequency in the absence of an external driver.
1 g
(ii) f =
2 L
1 9.81
=
2 0.600
= 0.6435 Hz
T =1/f
= 1.55 s
(iii)
2

T
4.04
v (x o2 x 2 )

4.04 0.012 2
02
0.0485 ms 1

4
 (b) After striking the obstacle, the pendulums period will be
L
Tnew =2
g
0.200
2
9.81
0.897s
From observation of the oscillation the period consists of half the period of the previous length and half the
period of the new length.
Hence, the time taken will be (T0.600) + (T0.200) = 1.22 s

22. (a)(i) = t
(ii) ST = r sin t
(b) Simple harmonic motion
(c)(i) 20 cm
(ii) T = 2/ = 2/3.5 = 1.8 s
(iii) vmax = x0 = 3.5(0.20) = 0.70 m s-1 = 70 cm s-1
(iv) amax = 2x0 = 3.52(0.20) = 2.45 m s-2 = 245 cm s-1

23. b(i) Amplitude, y0 is 3 cm. Period T is 2 s.

2
So rad s-1.
T
1 9
Maximum Ek = m 2 y 02 2m 104 J
2 2

Ek / J

T t/s

b(ii) The mean value of a cosine-square graph is half of its maximum value.
9 2
As such, Ek m 104
4
The potential energy is similar to the kinetic energy except it is a sine-squared graph, thus
9 2
Ep m 104 as well.
4

b(iii) Surface waves and duck must have the same frequency since resonance was achieved as hinted in
the question that the duck is oscillating up and down with maximum amplitude.
Given m = 0.0921 kg, we find that T = 0.416 s

Since v
T
5
 0.28
v = 0.673 m s-1.
0.416

b(iv) Since resonance was already attained earlier in the question, this means that the driving frequency of
the waves is now larger than the natural frequency of the rubber duck and both frequencies are no
longer equal.
As such, the amplitude of the oscillation of the rubber duck will decrease.

24. ai) H = 25 m, L = -25 m

aii) Since, the period is 12 hours. One H occurs 6 hours before 2 pm and one H occurs 6 hours after 2 pm.
First H is at 8 am, and 2nd H is 8 pm.

2 2
aiii) v max x max x max (25 )
T 12
-1
v max 13.1m hr

aiv) Method 1:
By cal: Set t = 0 at 8 am, use x = xo cos t
Sandcastle 10m below highest water mark, thus, for xo = 25 m, location of sandcastle is
x = 15 m

For x = 15 m, have 15 = 25 cos (2/12)t

t = 1.77 or 10.2 hr
Thus t = 10.2 1.77 = 8.43 hr

OR t = 12 2(1.77 )= 8.46 hr

25
Displacement / m

15

t / hr
0 1.77 10.2 12

Alternatively using 15 = 25 sin (2/12)t

t = 1.23, 4.77 or 13.22 hr
Thus t = 12 (4.77 1.23) = 8.46 hr

OR t = 6 + 2(1.23 )= 8.46 hr

OR t = 13.22 4.77 = 8.46 hr

25
Displacement / m

15

0
1.23 4.77 13.22 t / hr

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 25. bi) B is being forced to oscillate because P is heavier.
bii) 1. Increases the damping of the rod B.
2 Decreases the natural frequency of rod B.
3. Increases the coupling between pendulum P and rod B. Increases the amplitude of the driving
force on rod B.
biii)
A

fB
fP

Level 2

1. D
The 2 pegs are moving in unison, hence keeping the wooden plank horizontal at all times. Since the supporting peg
attached to the spring-mass system is moving up and down, the spring will hence move in SHM with a = 2x.

2. B
m
T 2 is independent of the amplitude of the oscillation.
k

3. C
a-t graph is the reflection of the x-t graph about the x-axis.

4. A
x0/2 = x0 sin [(2/T)t].
0.5 = sin (2/T)t t = T/12 s

5. C
x 2 2
x x 0 sint sin t sin 0.866
x0 T 3
6. D
Fact.

7. B
Damping forces opposes motion (eg. slows down motion).

8. D
For the other three graphs, the body is at the extreme position at t = 0.

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 9. (a) 2f 2 ( 12 ) 75.4 rad s-1
(bi)

(bii) Consider the free body diagram of the slot at the bottom position.
Force by peg on slot of needle-carrier

Net force

Weight
Net force on slot = Force by peg on slot weight of slot (or in fact needle-carrier as a whole)
mx02 = Force by peg on slot mg
Force by peg on slot = (0.025)(0.016)(75.498)2 + (0.025)(9.81)
= 2.52 N

(c)
KE / J

0.018

-16 16
Displacement / mm

10. (ai) Since the direction of the acceleration is the same as the net force, the mass must have moved towards the
left, so that spring 1 is compressed and spring 2 is extended, both exerting a force towards the right.
(aii)
F ma F F 1 2 ma 2kx ma
2kx
a
m
2kx 2(0.6)(0.040)
(b)1. a 0.96 m s-2
m 0.05

8
 2.
3

2.5

2
a/m s^2

1.5

0.5

0
0 0.5 1 1.5 2 2.5 3 3.5 4 4.5 5
t/s

3. Since the mass started from rest, the velocity at each instant is given by the area under the acceleration-
time graph.

t/s 0 1 2 3 4 5
x/m 0.100 0.080 0.060 0.040 0.020 0.000
a/m s-2 2.40 1.92 1.44 0.96 0.48 0.00
v/ m s-1 0.000 2.16 3.84 5.04 5.76 6.00

1 1
11. (b) (i) f 2.5 Hz
T 0.4
(ii) x0 = 0.02 m, amax x 0 4 f (0.02) 4.93 m s-2
2 2 2

(iii) 1. Maximum KE occurs at max speed which correspond to positions of equilibrium, hence t = 0.1 s, or 0.3 s, or
0.5 s, or 0.7 s.

(iii) 2. Zero acceleration occurs when displacement is zero Hence, t = 0.1 s, or 0.3 s, or 0.5 s, or 0.7 s.

(c) (i) when t = 0, x is not at equilibrium position. Also, the amplitude decreases as time increases, hence it is not a
sinusoidal function.

(c) (ii)

(ii)

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 12. (a) U m fluid g Alg

(bi)

(bii) The weight of the test-tube is given by its upthrust in (a) as it was floating.
The net force is given by:

F U W A(l x)g Alg Axg

Since the magnitude of the net force (and hence acceleration) is proportional to x and the direction of the force
is opposite to the displacement, the test-tube is performing SHM.

(biii) Considering the net force

a 2x
Axg g 2
2
F F l
2x T 2
m W g Al l T g

13. (b) b = 2 = 42/T2

(c) T = 2 (l/g)
60/33 = 2 (l/9.81) l = 0.82 m

(d)(i) The shadow of the rod has a shorter period and the phase relationship between the shadow of the rod and
the pendulum will keep changing.

(ii) (n+1)Trod = nTpendulum (n+1)(1/33.3333) = n(1/33) n = 99

(iii) time = (99)(1/33) = 3.0 min

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