LABORATORY PH-114

REPORT #5

Q1: We have to find the spring constant k before we can solve for the period. We can
find this while the system is in equilibrium. We solve for the sum of the forces for both
the cart and the mass. For the cart, the sum of forces in the x-direction is T − F s = 0,
which turns into T = F s .

For the mass, the sum of the forces in the y-direction is T − F g = 0, and is equal to T =

mg . Plugging in T from equation 2 into equation 1, we get mg =− kx, which then is k = m

g
x , where m is the sum of the mass of the cart and hanging mass and x is the

distance the spring is displaced from its natural length. This gives us a value of k to be

m
= 2π
about 12.5 N/m. Using the equation, T √ k
, and plugging in the values of k and

m, period equals 1.35 seconds.

1b) The observed period is around 1.5 seconds and the theoretical period is 1.35

seconds. The true value of k can be found with the equation k = , and plugging in
the numbers,
T

k= , gives k = 10.1 N/m.

1c) Using the equations b2 = 4km, which is manipulated to be b = √4km , b is equal to

4.81 Newtons. If under dampened, b < 4.81 N , and if over dampened or critically damped,

b ≥ 4.81 N .
Q2: 2a) The observed period from the data is 0.6 seconds. The theoretical period is 0.72

seconds. I found this using the equation T . To use this equation, I first had to
find the

value for k using the equation mg = kΔL, which gave me k = =7.54N/m(I found
ΔLby comparing the length of the spring in the lab video with no weight attached to the
length of the spring with the 100 gram mass). Then I was able to use the period
equation, which gave
0.1kg
= 2π ~ 0.724s
me T √ 7.54N *m
.
2b)The observed maximum speed from the data is 0.29m/s. The theoretical max speed

2 π
was 1.88m/s. I found this using the equation u and substituting ⍵ with T ,
which gave

me u
2c) The observed maximum acceleration is 2.19 m/s2 . The theoretical max acceleration

was 5.27 m/s2. I found this using the equation a = ω2x and substituting ⍵ with 2Tπ , which
gave me

( 0.722π4s)2(0.07m) = a = 5.27m/s2 .
Q3: -When the force is ~ -1 Newton, then the speed is maximum.
-When the force is maximum, then the acceleration is maximum.
-When the displacement is maximum, then the acceleration is maximum.
-When the speed is maximum, then the acceleration is 0.
Q4:
The trendline has a negative slope. The graph does not continue further because the
mass is
oscillating between the two end points. The regression line represents F = kx, where

k =− 6.68 N/m and is the slope of the graph. This relates to the results from lab 1

because from Hooke’s Law, the higher the spring constant, the harder it is to compress
or stretch the spring. At the highest position, or the greatest displacement from
equilibrium, the force was the least and at the lowest position, or the least displacement
from equilibrium, the force was the highest. The force is the sum of the spring force and
the force due to gravity acting on the spring.

Q5: Hooke’s Law states that F s = kl and using a Free Body Diagram we can see that F s

is equal to mgsinϕ. mgsinϕ = kl which means that k = mgslinϕ and l = mgskinϕ . The period of a

m
= 2π
spring system is T
m
√ k
. We can substitute in our value of k to get T
mgsinϕ
= 2π
√ l
.
l
= 2π
The mass cancels out and leaves us with T
mgsinϕ
√ gsinϕ
. We can substitute l and get

T = 2π √ k
gsi nϕ which gives us T . Angle does not affect the period.
Q6: To do this problem, it is imperative to create a free body diagram. Doing so, we
can see that the spring force (kd ) is acting in the upwards direction and the normal
force (mg ) and acceleration are acting downwards. Applying Newton’s Law (F=ma), we
get mg − kd = ma. We
need to solve for mass to get the algebraic relationship. We subtract ma from both sides
and add kd to both sides to get mg − ma = kd. Solving for me we get m(g − a) = kd which
simplifies to
m .

Q7: T = 2π √ g
l
, l=0.33m , Thus T=1.15s. Observed period =1.45. The observed period

is longer than the theoretical, this is most likely due to air resistance and friction around

the pendulum axis.

Using the principle of conservation of mechanical energy, E=K +U. At max K, U=0 and
at max U, k=0. At max K, v is maximum and according to the data given, Vmax =
0.32m/s, m=141.75g.
E=K+U= ½ mv^2+0=0.00726J. At maximum potential energy, K=0, therefore E=K+U:
0.00726J= 0+U, U=mgl(1-cos θ )=0.00726 with l=0.33m. 1-cos θ
=0.01582, θ =10.21o

Q8: The equation for the period of a pendulum is T . When an object is in free
fall, from the frame perspective of the pendulum itself, gravity’s acceleration rate (g ) is
zero. When g is zero, the period is infinite - in which case it doesn’t oscillate back and
forth. This problem can also be approached through conservation of energy. The
pendulum is continually transferring energy between kinetic and gravitational potential. If
the gravity is seen as zero because of free fall, there can be no gravitational potential
available, thus the all of the pendulum’s energy will be kinetic.

Q9: a) Theoretical Period T of a pendulum of length 0.28m, T = 1.06s.

The observed period when swung from ~10 o = 0.9s
The observed period when swung from 90 o is 1.05s
Based on the data given, The theoretical and observed periods of the pendulum almost
perfectly match for a 90o swing(0.94% error). But they are a bit off for a ~10-degree
swing (about 15% error)