THE MECHANICAL UNIVERSE Name:

Harmonic Motion Class:

1. How did Galileo supposedly time the swings of the swinging lamp in Pisa? Timing the
swings by comparing them to his pulse

2. What sort of factors affect an instruments tone? The body, neck, fingerboard and
choice of tonewood for the body

3. How long after the sun dial was the water clock invented? The sundial was invented in
3500 BC and the water clock was invented in 1092

4. What type of function describes simple harmonic motion? Sinusoidal

5. What is special about the timing of a harmonic oscillator as the oscillations die down?
The period of time for each cycle remains constant, even when the motion itself is slowing
down

6. Why must clocks be wound? Friction and air resistance and other factors tend to make
them slow down. These factors turn the energy into heat

7. Who answered the question of why a pendulum’s swing does not depend on its mass?
Isaac Newton

8. What are the 2 conditions for stability? No net force, disturbing this must produce a
force to push it back to where it was

9. What type of motion results in the disturbance of a stable system? Simple harmonic
motion