MT1043 - Applied Differential Equations

Assignment 05
Q 1. Describe a Spring-Mass System and derive its governing second order linear differential equation.
Q 2. If an iron ball of weight W = 89.0 N (aboult 20 lb) stretches a spring 10.0 cm
(approx. 4 inches), how many cycles per minute will this mass-spring system
execute? What will its motion be if we pull down the weight an additional 15.0
cm (about 6 inches)?

Ans. The frequency of the oscillation is given by F = 0 = 1.576Hz. The partic2

ular solution is y(t) = 0.150 cos(9.899t) meters.
Q 3. A 16 lb object stretches a spring 89 ft by itself. There is no external force acting on
the system. The spring is initially displaced by 6 inches upwards from its initial
position and given an initial velocity of 1 ft/sec. downward. A damper is attached to the system that exert a force of 17 lbs when the velocity is 2 ft/sec. Find
the displacement at any time t. Ans. y = 0.5198e2.4792t + 0.0199e14.5208t
Q 4. Consider again the spring-mass system of Q 3 but with a damper that will exert
a force of 5lbs when the velocity
is 2 ft/sec. Find the displacement at any time t.

5
119
t
Ans. y = 0.505096e 2 cos( 2 t 3.2321)
Q 5. A steel ball weighing 128 lb is suspended from a spring, whereupon the spring is
stretched 2 ft from its natural length. The ball is started in motion with no initial
velocity by displacing it 6 inches above the equilibrium position. Assuming no
air resistance, find (a) an expression for the position of the ball at any time t,

sec.
and (b) the position of the ball at t = 12
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Ans. (a) y(t) = 2 cos(4t), (b) y = 4 ft.
Q 6. A mass of 2 kg is suspended from a spring with a known spring constant of
10 N/m and allowed to come to rest. It is then set in motion by giving it an
initial velocity of 150 cm/sec. Find an expression for the motion of the mass,
assuming no air resistance. Determine the circular frequency, natural frequency,
and period for this simple
harmonic motion.

Ans. y = 0.6708 sin 5t, Circular freq. = 0 = 2.236 Hz, Natural Freq. = f =
/2 = 0.3559 Hz. Period = 1/f = 2.81 sec.
Q 7. An 8 pound weight stretches a spring 2 feet. Assuming that a damping force
numerically equal to 2 times the instantaneous velocity acts on the system, determine the equation of motion if the weight is released form the equilibrium
position with an upward velocity of 3 ft/sec. What is the height of the object
when velocity is zero?
Ans. y(t) = 3te4t , and height when y 0 (t) = 0 is 0.276 ft above the equilibrium
position.
Instructor: Dr. Shafqat Hussain
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