A student gives a series of very small pushes to a child’s swing
PHYSICS · Single correct · A Level · Physics · Further mechanics and thermal physics · Further mechanics and thermal physics
Problem
A student gives a series of very small pushes to a child’s swing. Each push is applied in the forward direction exactly when the swing passes through its lowest point. Air resistance can be neglected. How will the amplitude of the swing change with successive pushes?
(a) It will remain unchanged.
(b) It will decrease steadily with each push.
(c) It will increase with each push.
(d) It will quickly become zero.