SAMPLE SOLVED PROBLEMS FROM COLLEGE PHYSICS 2e by OPENSTAX
CHAPTER 16 OSCILLATORY MOTION AND WAVES
Note:
In the pictorial/physical representations, to make the drawing of a spring easier, it will be
represented by a rectangle. If it’s stretched then it will be longer than its equilibrium length; if it’s
compressed then the rectangle is shorter than its equilibrium length.
Page 720, #2
It’s weigh-in time for the local under 85-kg rugby team. The bathroom scale used to assess eligibility
can be described by Hooke’s Law and is depressed 0.75 cm by its maximum load of 120 kg.
a. What’s the spring constant?
The pictorial/physical representation of the problem is shown below. (Not drawn to scale)
2
Force = 120 kg x 9.8 m/s = 1,176.0 N
-2
x = 0.75 cm = 0.75 x10 m
Equilibrium length of the spring Compressed length of the
spring
The relevant Physics law in this problem is Hooke’s Law. Note that when the compressed spring is in
equilibrium the external force pressing on the spring is equal to the restoring force of the spring. So
F = kx
Note that the – sign is absent since we are using the external force in the calculation. Solving for k
k = F/x
and substituting the values
k = (1,176.0 N) / (0.75 x10-2m)
= 156,800 N/m
The spring constant of the spring inside the bathroom scale is 156,800 N/m.
b. A player stands on the scales and depresses it by 0.48 cm. Is he eligible on this under 85-kg team?
This problem requires us to find the weight then the mass of the rugby player. The pictorial/physical
representation of the problem is found in the next page.
Force = ?
-2
x = 0.48 cm = 0.48 x10 m
Equilibrium length of the spring Compressed length of the
spring
Again the relevant Physics law in this problem is Hooke’s Law. Also we will be using the external
force since it is equal to the restoring force as the spring is in equilibrium. So,
F = kx
Substituting the known values
F = (156,800 N/m) (0.48 x10-2 m)
= 752.64 N
The weight of the rugby player is 752.6 N. This is equivalent to a mass of
m = W /g
= 752.64 / 9.8 m/s2
= 76.8 kg
The rugby player’s mass is 76.8 kg. Since this is less than 85 kg, he qualifies in the under 85-kg rugby
team.
Before you study the next sample problem watch this short video clip. It will give you an idea how
an analog bathroom scale works and the function of the springs:
How Does A Bathroom Scale Work? (Mr. Wizard)
[Link]
Page 720, #4
The springs of a pickup truck like a single spring with a force constant of 1.30 x 105 N/m.
a) By how much will the truck be depressed by it maximum load of 1000 kg?
Let’s start with the pictorial/physical representation of this problem. A vehicle has 4 springs, one for
each wheel, in its suspension system. The problem says that we will represent these springs by a
single spring with a spring constant k=1.30 x 105 N/m.
Pictorial/physical representation (not drawn to scale) 2
Force = 1000 kg x 9.8 m/s = 9800 N
x =?
Equivalent to a single spring
5
k = 1.30 x10 N/m
The relevant Physics law in this problem is Hooke’s Law. Note that when the compressed spring is in
equilibrium the external force pressing on the spring is equal to the restoring force of the spring. So
F = kx
Note that the – sign is absent since we are using the external force in the calculation. Solving for k
x = F/k
and substituting the known values
x = (9800 N)/(1.30 x 105 N/m)
= 0.0754 m
or 7.54 cm
The equivalent single spring will compress by 7.54 cm from its equilibrium length. Each of the four
springs will undergo the same compression – 7.54 cm. So the truck will be depressed by 7.54 cm.
b. If the pickup truck has 4 identical springs, what’s the force constant of each?
Each spring is depressed by 0.0754 m or 7.54 cm. The 9,800 N weight will be equally shared by the
springs so each spring will only carry a weight of 9,800 N/4 or 2,450 N.
Using Hooke’s Law,
F = kx
and solving for k
k =F/x
Substituting the known values,
k= 2,450 N/0.0754 m
= 32,493.4 N/m
Each spring has a spring constant of k =32,493.4 N/m. We can check this by multiplying by 4:
4 x 32,493.4 N/m = 130,000 N/m which is the spring constant of the equivalent single spring.
Before you study the next sample problem watch this old video clip (circa 1938) which very clearly explains
the function of the springs in a car’s suspension system.
Over the Waves - Chevrolet Suspension (1938)
[Link]
Page 720, # 15
A 0.500-kg mass suspended from a spring oscillates with a period of 1.50 s. How much mass must be
added to the object to change the period to 2.00 s?
k=? k
m = 0.500 kg m=?
T = 1.50 s T = 2.00s
s s
To solve this problem we have to use the equation of the period of oscillation of a spring-mass
system. The first thing that we have to do is to find the spring constant of the spring then find the
mass so that the period will be 2.00 s.
Refer to the figure on the left. We can calculate the value of k given the values of T and m. The
period T is given by
T = 2π [m/k]1/2
and solving for k
k = [4π2m] / T2
Substituting the values,
k = [4π2x0.500kg] / [1.50s]2
= 8.77 N/m
The spring constant of the spring is 8.77 N/m. We will use this value to find the mass which will
increase the period from 1.50 s to 2.00 s. We go back to the equation of T and solve for m.
T = 2π [m/k]1/2
and solving for m
m = [T2k] / [4π2]
Substituting the values,
m = [2.00s]2[8.77 N/m] / [4π2]
= 0.889 kg
The mass attached to the spring must have a mass of 0.899 kg. Since there is already a 0.500 kg mass
attached to the spring, what will be needed is an additional 0.389 kg. This value is found by
subtracting 0.500 kg from 0.899 kg:
0.899 kg -0.500 kg = 0.389 kg.
Page 722, #32
At what rate will a pendulum clock run on the Moon, where the acceleration due to gravity is 1.63
m/s2, if it keeps time accurately on Earth? That is, find the time (in hours) it takes the clock hour
hand to make one revolution on the Moon.
Here we imagine a clock’s hour hand that is operated by a swinging simple pendulum. On Earth one
revolution of the hour hand is equivalent to 12 hours or half day.
On the Moon this simple pendulum will swing slowly since the value of g is smaller. The hour hand of
the clock will also take more time to complete one revolution. So an Earth half day measured on the
Moon will require the hour hand of the clock (on the Moon) to turn more than once. The question is
how many times?
We can simply take the ratio of the period of the pendulum on Moon (TM) and the period of the
same pendulum on Earth (TE).
TM / TE = [2π(L/gM)1/2] / [2π(L/gE)1/2]
= [gE /gM]1/2
= [(gE)/(gE/6)]1/2
= [6] ½
= 2.45
TM = 2.45 TE
This means that the period of the simple pendulum on the Moon is 2.45 times that on Earth. So on
the Moon the hour hand should turn 2.45 times for the time to be equivalent to that on Earth.