A block is hung from a light vertical spring. When the block is displaced slightly from equilibrium and released, the average time for 10 complete oscillations is measured to be 12.5 s. A laboratory data sheet lists the spring’s force constant as 40N⋅m−1. Assume the oscillations are small and mechanical energy is conserved.
(a) Determine the mass of the block.
(b) Calculate the weight of the block in newtons.
(c) A digital scale used later reads the block’s weight as 4.20N. Compute the percent difference between this reading and the value you obtained in part (b), and discuss one plausible experimental reason for the discrepancy.