MATHEMATICS 1170

LAB #7
MODELS OF RESONANCE IN PLANT STEMS
Today we are going to build models of plants using oak dowels and playdo. The playdo
will be used to vary the mass at the top of the beam. These models will best represent
corn, wheat, and other crops that consist of a shoot and a mass on the end.
If we deflect the beam and release it, it will oscillate until it comes to rest. If we neglect
friction (damping), the equation describing the motion of the TOP of the beam is as
follows:

p (t ) =

vo

sin( n t ) + A cos( nt )

Where vo is the initial velocity, A is the initial amplitude, and n is the natural frequency.
**Note that the natural frequency is the frequency of vibration when the beam is
deflected and release.

Today we will measure the natural frequency of beams of different stiffnesses, lengths,
and masses. We will measure the length and stiffness of the beams, and calculate the
mass of the playdo based on the measured natural frequency.
Resonance
Trees often uproot or snap when strong winds gust at their natural frequency. In order to
select better crops, agricultural engineers are interested in determining the parameters that
influence the natural frequency of crops. Storm winds typically gust at a certain range of
frequencies (0.2 2 Hz or so). If the natural frequencies of crops and other plants are
outside of this range, they are less likely to uproot or snap.

Natural frequency
A very simple model of the natural frequency can be made by modeling the plant as a
spring-mass system. The natural frequency of the plant can be calculated as:

n =

k
m

Let T be the period of the oscillation (the time in seconds it takes the plant to sway back
and forth once). The natural frequency can be calculated from this value as follows:

n =

2
T

Knowing the natural frequency and the effective stiffness (k) the effective mass (m) can
be calculated using the first equation.
The Effective Stiffness, k
The effective stiffness is proportional to the resistance of the beam (or trunk or stem) to
bending. It can be calculated using the following equation:
3EI
L3
where L describes the length of the beam. E is the elastic modulus which is a property of
the material. The beams we are using in class are made of oak. E is given in the table
below for a couple of materials. I is the second moment of area (also called the second
moment of inertia).
k=

Elastic Modulus (E)

In solid mechanics, the elastic modulus (E) is a measure of the stiffness of a given
material.
Material
*Oak
Ash
Douglas Fir
Steel
Aluminum

Elastic Modulus (psi, pounds per square inch)

1,600,000
1,450,400
1,740,480
29,008,000
10,100,000

Second Moment of Area (I)

The second moment of area of a shape is a property which measures the efficiency of that
shape with respect to its resistance to bending.

For a circular cylinder:

r4
I=
4
Effective mass, m
Let the mass of the beam be mb and the mass at the end of the beam be me. Then the
effective mass of the total system is given by the following equation:
m = (33 / 140)mb + me
This is the same m as appears in the equation for the natural frequency.

Lab Exercise
We are going to build various models of plants of different lengths, diameters, and
masses. For each model, record the length of the beam, the radius of the beam, and the
diameter of the mass of playdo at the end. We are then going to measure the period of
oscillation of each model and use this data to estimate its effective mass. Please fill in the
attached chart and make the appropriate calculations.
Questions to Answer
1. As crops and trees were bred to produce larger fruits, seeds, and vegetables,
agriculturalists noticed that these plants became more susceptible to windthrow
(uprooting during storms) and snapping. What effect does increasing the mass of the
crops have on the natural frequency? Why might this cause the plants to uproot and snap
more frequently?
2. Pick one of the models built in class. Assuming that the initial velocity is zero, the
equation of motion can be written as:
k
p(t ) = A cos(
t)
m

Calculate the p(t) and p(t). The force acting on the stem (or beam) can be estimated as
F = m*a = m*p(t). Double the mass of the model. What happens to the force? Double
the stiffness of the beam. What happens to this force?
3. In order to reduce the number of crops that uproot or snap, agriculturalists have bred
for increased effective stiffness in the stems. What are three things that could be changed
in the plant to increase the effective stiffness?