Physics 201 Sample Multiple Choice Questions: Choose the BEST Answer

1. For an object undergoing simple harmonic motion, a. the amplitudes are usually regarded as being large b. the acceleration is greatest when the displacement is greatest. c. the acceleration is greatest when the speed is greatest. d. the maximum potential energy is larger than the maximum kinetic energy. e. the displacement is greatest when the speed is greatest. 2. If both the mass m of a simple pendulum and its length L are doubled, the period will a. increase by a factor of 1.4 b. increase by a factor of 2. c. increase by a factor of 0.71. d. be unchanged. e. increase by a factor of 4. 3. Consider a mass hanging vertically from a spring and at equilibrium. If you pull it down by 2 cm and release it, it begins to oscillate at a frequency f1. If you had pulled it down instead by 4 cm, what would its frequency of oscillation be ? Assume simple harmonic motion. a. b. c. d. e. f1 (2)f1 2f1. 4f1. None of the above

4. A transverse wave is propagated in a string stretched along the x-axis. The equation of the wave, in SI units, is given by: y = 0.006 cos (46t - 12x). The frequency (as opposed to angular frequency) of the wave, in SI units, is closest to: a. 46 b. 140 c. 23 d. 100 e. 69 5. Consider a spring-mass system whose motion is governed by the oscillatory equation d2x/dt2 + cx = 0. What is its angular frequency of oscillation ? a. b. c. d. e. c c c2 c/m c/2

6. Consider the wave equation 2y/x2 = b 2y/t2. What is the speed of wave governed by this equation ? a. b. c. d. e. b b2 b 1/b 0

Answer Key: 1. b - acceleration is largest at the turning points (extrema) 2. a - Period is independent of mass but proportional to L . Since L 2L, then T 2L

3. a - In simple harmonic motion, the oscillation frequency is independent of amplitude given. 4. c - = 46 so from this, we can obtain f = /2 5. b - Weve been working with this equation since Week 1. d2x/dt2 + 2x = 0, where the angular frequency is . 5. d - Weve been working with this equation since Week 2: This is the famous wave equation 2y/x2 = (1/v2) 2y/t2, where v is the speed of the associated wave.

PHYS 201 Review Exercises Additional Exercise Periodic Motion A 2.00-kg, frictionless block is attached to an ideal spring with force constant 300 N/m. At t = 0 the block has velocity -4.00 m/s and displacement +0.200 m. (a) Find the phase angle (b) Find the amplitude and period (c) Write the equation of motion (d) Where along its motion does the mass experience its maximum acceleration and what is its magnitude and direction at this (these) points ? (e). Determine when the mass will first experience its first maximum acceleration. Solution:
x0,v0

0 Visualize You know k (spring constant), m, and the initial position x0, velocity v0 of the mass in the spring-mass system. (a). It is best to start with the solution for SHM x = A cos (t + ) and work from there instead of mindlessly memorizing non-basic formula which one can derive from the general solution and using common sense.
From the general solution, one can find the velocity by differentiating with respect to time, which yields v = - A sin (t + ) . Applying the initial conditions at time t = 0: x(t=0) = 0.2m = A cos v(t=0) = - 4m/s = - A sin (1) (2)

Dividing (2) by (1) gives : 20 = tan But = (k/m) = [(300N/m)/2kg] = 12.25 rad/s 20 = (12.25) tan = 1.02 rad (b) To find the amplitude, use (1): 0.2m = A cos 1.02 rad A = 0.382 m The period T = 2/ = 2/(12.25 rad/s) = 0.51s (c) The equation of motion is: x = 0.382 cos [(12.25 rads)t + 1.02 rad] (d). The mass experiences maximum acceleration at the two amplitudes x = +/- 0.382 The magnitude is given by amax = - 2A = (12.25 rad/s)2(0.382 m) = 57.3 m/s2 to the right, when it is at negative amplitude = 57.3 m/s2 to the left, when it is at the positive amplitude (e) The mass will feel its first maximum acceleration when it gets to its negative amplitude (look at the picture above !) At this point: -0.382 = 0.382 cos [(12.25 rads)t + 1.02 rad] -1= cos [(12.25 rads)t + 1.02 rad] = (12.25 rad/s)t + 1.02 rad t = 0.173 s

Additional Exercise Mechanical Waves A thin, taut string tied at both ends and oscillating in its third harmonic has its shape described by y(x,t) = (5.60cm) sin [(0.0340 rad/cm)x] sin [(50.0 rad/s)t] where the origin is at the left end of the string, the x-axis is along the string and the y-axis is perpendicular to the string. (a) Find the amplitude of the two traveling waves that make up this standing wave. (b) What is the length of the string ? (c) Find the wavelength of the traveling waves. (d) Find the frequency and period of the traveling waves. (e) Find the speed of the travelling waves (f) Find the maximum transverse speed of a point on the string. Solution: Visualize: What does the third harmonic mode look like ?

y(x,t) = (5.60cm) sin [(0.0340 rad/cm)x] sin [(50.0 rad/s)t] Compare with standing wave expression y = 2A sin kx sin t 3 L (a) Recall that a standing wave is the sum of two identical traveling waves moving opposite each other. At the anti-nodes, the two waves constructively interfere into a standing wave with an amplitude twice the original amplitude of either traveling wave (we showed this in class!!!) . In fact, y (for standing wave) = 2A sin kx sin t Thus, by comparison to the given equation, 2A = 5.6 cm so A = 2.8 cm (b) From the picture you should note that 3 = 2L/3 or L = (3/2) 3 Or you can always get this from the expression for fundamental modes: f3 = 3(v/2L) = v/3. But the wavenumber k gives 2/ and examination of the expression above gives k = 0.034 rad/cm = 3.4/m so that = 2/k = 2/(3.4/m) = 1.85 m. Thus L = (3/2) 3 = 2.78 m (c) The wavelength of traveling waves is the same as the standing wave: = 1.85 m (d) The frequency and period of the traveling waves is the same as the standing wave. Comparison of the sin t term with the given expression gives and = 50 rad/s or f = /2 = 7.96 Hz. T = 1/f = 0.1256 sec

(e) The speed of the traveling wave is given by v = f = (1.85 m)(7.96Hz) = 14.73 m/s (f) Maximum transverse speed of a point on the string can be found by taking dy/dt and maximixing this. dy/dt = (5.60 cm)(50 rad/s) sin [(0.0340rad/cm)x] [cos (50 rad/s)t]. The maximum values of sin and cos is 1 so the maximum dy/dt must be (5.6 cm)(50 rad/s) = 280 rad/s

Additional Exercise Mechanical Waves One of the 63.5-cm-long strings of an ordinary guitar is tuned to produce the note B3 (frequency 245 Hz) when vibrating in its fundamental mode. (a) Find the speed of transverse waves on this string. (b) If the tension in this string is increased by 1.0 %, what will be the new fundamental frequency and corresponding wave number of the string? (c). Now suppose the tension was not increased. If the speed of sound in the surrounding air is 344 m/s, find the frequency and wavelength of the sound wave produced in the air by the vibration of the B3 string. (d) Assuming a linear string mass density of 20 g/m and the original frequency (245 Hz). Calculate the tension in the string. Assuming that the amplitude of each traveling wave is 1 mm, what is the average rate at which energy is flowing (i.e. power) from left to right ? How about from right to left ? What is the net transfer of energy across at any point on the standing wave? Solution: Visualize:
L

(a) You need to visualize (see above). Recall speed v = f . From the picture = 2L so that v = (2L)f = 2(.635m)(245 Hz) = 311 m/s Of course, you can just use the expression fn = n(v/2L) to obtain v when n =1. (b) Increasing F by 1% means that F 1.01F. For the same guitar string (same linear mass density, this leads to an increase in the speed v. Since v = (F/) , then v increases by a factor of (1.01). Since f1 = v/2L, this means f1 f1(1.01) = (245Hz ) (1.01) = 246.2 Hz Wave number = 2/ = 2/[2(0.635m)] = 4.95 m-1 (c) The vibrating string excites the surrounding air and causes traveling waves, which must also oscillate by the same frequency fundamental frequency (f = 245Hz). The speed of sound in air is 344 m/s. The corresponding wavelength must be given by = v/f = (344 m/s)/245 Hz = 1.4 m (d) Since v = (F/), then F = v2 = (0.020 kg/m)(311 m/s)2 = 1934 N From Left to Right, the travelling wave carries energy at an average rate given by the expression for average power of a sinusoidal mechanical wave Pave = ( ) [(F)] 2A2 We know (0.02 kg/m), A(0.001m), = 2f where f = 245 Hz and F = 1934 N Thus, P(Left to Right) = ( ) [{(0.020 kg/m)(1934N)}] (2(245Hz)2(0.001m)2 = 7.4 W P(Right to Left) = 7.4 W, since the two waves are identical Net flow of energy at any point must then be zero, as expected for a standing wave.