A student investigates the effect of attaching additional masses to a horizontal…
PHYSICS · Subjective · A Level · Physics · Further mechanics and thermal physics · Further mechanics and thermal physics
Problem
A student investigates the effect of attaching additional masses to a horizontal spring of unknown force constant. With a mass m the measured time period is T. She now attaches an extra mass Δm to the same spring and observes that the time period increases to 45T.
(i) Derive an expression relating Δm to m from the observed change in period.
(ii) If the original mass m was 0.40kg, calculate the value of Δm.
(iii) After adding the extra mass, the force constant of the spring is changed by carefully cutting a portion of the spring so that its new force constant becomes 1.5 times the original value. Determine the final time period of the system after both modifications.