Cutnell/Johnson
Physics 9th edition
Classroom Response System Questions
Chapter 10 Simple Harmonic Motion and Elasticity
Interactive Lecture Questions
10.1.1. A spring is hung vertically from a fixed support. When an object of mass m
is attached to the end of the spring, it stretches by a distance y. When an object
of mass of 2m is hung from the spring, it stretches by a distance 2y. A second,
identical spring is then attached to the free end of the first spring. If the object
of mass 2m is attached to the bottom of the second spring, how far will the
bottom of the second spring move downward from its unstretched position?
Assume the masses of the springs are negligible when compared to m.
a) y/2
b) y
c) 3y/2
d) 2y
e) 4y
10.1.2. A spring is hung vertically from a fixed support. When an object of mass m
is attached to the end of the spring, it stretches by a distance y. When an object
of mass of 2m is hung from the spring, it stretches by a distance 2y. A second,
identical spring is then attached to the fixed support as shown and a light rod is
placed across the free ends of the springs. If the object of mass 2m is attached to
the middle of the rod, how far will the rod move downward? Assume the
masses of the springs and the rod are negligible when compared to m.
a) y/2
b) y
c) 3y/2
d) 2y
e) 4y
10.1.3. A spring is hung vertically from a fixed support. When an object of mass m
is attached to the end of the spring, it stretches by a distance y. When an object
of mass of 2m is hung from the spring, it stretches by a distance 2y. The same
spring is then set up in a pulley system as shown in the drawing. Here an object
of mass m is suspended from a light rope that passes over each pulley and
connects to the two ends of the spring. By what distance is the spring stretched
in this configuration? Express your answer in terms of the original stretch
distance y.
a) y/2
b) y
c) 3y/2
d) 2y
e) 4y
10.1.4. An ideal spring is hung vertically from a device that displays the force
exerted on it. A heavy object is then hung from the spring and the display on
the device reads W, the weight of the spring plus the weight of the object, as
both sit at rest. The object is then pulled downward a small distance and
released. The object then moves in simple harmonic motion. What is the
behavior of the display on the device as the object moves?
a) The force remains constant while the object oscillates.
b) The force varies between W and +W while the object oscillates.
c) The force varies between a value near zero newtons and W while the object
oscillates.
d) The force varies between a value near zero newtons and 2W while the object
oscillates.
e) The force varies between W and 2W while the object oscillates.
10.2.1. A spring is hung vertically from a fixed support. When an object of mass m
is attached to the end of the spring, it stretches by a distance y. When an object
of mass of 2m is hung from the spring, it stretches by a distance 2y. With the
object of mass 2m attached to the spring, the object is pulled slightly downward
and released. It then moves in simple harmonic motion with a period T. This
arrangement is used to determine the acceleration due to gravity, g. Express g in
terms of the parameters given to show how this measurement may be
accomplished.
a) g = 4myT2
b) g = 4myT2
c) g = 2yT2
d) g = 4yT2
e) g = myT2
10.2.2. A steel ball is hung from a vertical ideal spring where it
oscillates in simple harmonic motion with an amplitude of 0.157
m and an angular frequency of  rad/s. Which one of the
following expressions represents the acceleration, in m/s2, of the
ball as a function of time?
a) a = 1.55 cos(t)
b) a = 1.55 cos2(t)
c) a = 0.157 cos(t)
d) a = 0.493 cos2(t)
e) a = 0.493 cos(t)
10.2.3. Object A is attached to ideal spring A and is moving in simple
harmonic motion. Object B is attached to ideal spring B and is
moving in simple harmonic motion. The period and the amplitude
of object B are both two times the corresponding values for object
A. How do the maximum speeds of the two objects compare?
a) The maximum speed of A is one fourth that of object B.
b) The maximum speed of A is one half that of object B.
c) The maximum speed of A is the same as that of object B.
d) The maximum speed of A is two times that of object B.
e) The maximum speed of A is four times that of object B.
10.2.4. A steel ball is hung from a vertical ideal spring where it
oscillates in simple harmonic motion with a period T. At time t = 0
s, the ball is at its maximum displacement, A, from its equilibrium
position. In terms of the period, at what time will the ball be at y =
0.75A?
a) 0.33T
b) 0.25T
c) 0.19T
d) 0.15T
e) 0.12T
10.2.5. A 2.00-kg block is attached to the end of a horizontal ideal spring and
rests on a frictionless surface. The other end of the spring is attached to a
wall. After being displaced a small distance and released from rest, the
block is observed to oscillate at a frequency of 2.77 Hz. The spring is then
cut in half. One of the halves is then connected between the wall and the
block. What will be the frequency when the block is displaced and released
from rest again?
a) 5.54 Hz
b) 3.91 Hz
c) 2.77 Hz
d) 1.96 Hz
e) 1.39 Hz
10.3.1. An ideal spring is hung vertically from a fixed support. When an object of mass
m is attached to the end of the spring, it stretches by a distance y. The object is then
lifted and held to a height y +A, where A << y. Which one of the following
statements concerning the total potential energy of the object is true?
a) The total potential energy will be equal to zero joules.
b) The total potential energy will decrease and be equal to the gravitational potential
energy of the object.
c) The total potential energy will decrease and be equal to the elastic potential energy of
the spring.
d) The total potential energy will decrease and be equal to the sum of elastic potential
energy of the spring and the gravitational potential energy of the object.
e) The total potential energy will increase and be equal to the sum of elastic potential
energy of the spring and the gravitational potential energy of the object.
10.3.2. A block is attached to the end of a horizontal ideal spring and rests on a
frictionless surface. The other end of the spring is attached to a wall. The block
is pulled away from the spring’s unstrained position by a distance x0 and given
an initial speed of v0 as it is released. Which one of the following statements
concerning the amplitude of the subsequent simple harmonic motion is true?
a) The amplitude will depend on whether the initial velocity of the block is in the +x
or the x direction.
b) The amplitude will be less than x0.
c) The amplitude will be equal to x0.
d) The amplitude will be greater than x0.
e) The amplitude will depend on whether the initial position of the block is in the +x
or the x direction relative to the unstrained position of the spring.
10.3.3. A block is attached to the end of a horizontal ideal spring and rests
on a frictionless surface. The other end of the spring is attached to a
wall. The block is pulled away from the spring’s unstrained position by
a distance x0 and given an initial speed of v0 as it is released. Which
one of the following parameters must be known in addition to x0 and v0
to determine the amplitude of the subsequent simple harmonic motion?
a) period
b) spring constant
c) mass of the block
d) the direction of the initial velocity of the block
e) the direction of the initial displacement of the block
10.3.4. A block is attached to the end of a horizontal ideal spring and rests
on a frictionless surface. The other end of the spring is attached to a
wall. The block is pulled away from the spring’s unstrained position by
a distance x0 = 0.050 m and released from rest. The period of the
subsequent periodic motion of the block is 0.64 s. At what distance
from the unstrained position is the speed of the block equal to 0.30
m/s?
a) 0.050 m
b) 0.040 m
c) 0.030 m
d) 0.020 m
e) 0.010 m
10.3.5. Block A has a mass m and block B has a mass 2m. Block A is pressed
against a spring to compress the spring by a distance x. It is then
released such that the block eventually separates from the spring and it
slides across a surface where the friction coefficient is µk. The same
process is applied to block B. Which one of the following statements
concerning the distance that each block slides before stopping is correct?
a) Block A slides one-fourth the distance that block B slides.
b) Block A slides one-half the distance that block B slides.
c) Block A slides the same distance that block B slides.
d) Block A slides twice the distance that block B slides.
e) Block A slides four times the distance that block B slides.
10.3.6. In designing a spring loaded cannon, determine the spring
constant required to launch a 2.0-kg ball with an initial speed of
1.2 m/s from a position where the spring is displaced 0.15 m from
its equilibrium position.
a) 16 N/m
b) 32 N/m
c) 64 N/m
d) 130 N/m
e) 180 N/m
10.4.1. You would like to use a simple pendulum to determine the local
value of the acceleration due to gravity, g. Consider the following
parameters: (1) pendulum length, (2) mass of the object at the free end
of the pendulum, (3) the period of the pendulum as it swings in simple
harmonic motion, (4) the amplitude of the motion. Which of these
parameters must be measured to find a value for g?
a) 1 only
b) 2 only
c) 3 and 4 only
d) 1 and 3 only
e) 1, 2, and 4 only
10.4.2. At the surface of Mars, the acceleration due to gravity is
3.71 m/s2. On Earth, a pendulum that has a period of one
second has a length of 0.248 m. What is the length of a
pendulum on Mars that oscillates with a period of one
second?
a) 0.0940 m
b) 0.143 m
c) 0.248 m
d) 0.296 m
e) 0.655 m
10.4.3. As a pendulum swings in simple harmonic motion at the
surface of the Earth, the angle the pendulum makes relative to its
equilibrium position is given by (t) = (0.140 rad) cos (5.72t)
where t is in seconds. What is the length of this pendulum?
a) 0.140 m
b) 0.250 m
c) 0.300 m
d) 0.439 m
e) 0.801 m
10.5.1. A block is attached to the end of a horizontal ideal spring and rests on a
rough surface. The other end of the spring is attached to a wall. The block is
pulled away from the spring’s unstrained position and released from rest. The
block begins oscillating, but the amplitude is observed to decrease with time.
After a relatively short time, the block stops oscillating. For which of the
following conditions, would the harmonic motion of this system be described
as underdamped?
a) The frictional force is greater than the elastic force.
b) The frictional force is less than the elastic force.
c) The work done by the frictional force is greater than the elastic potential energy.
d) The kinetic energy of the block is greater than the elastic potential energy.
e) This kind of system would not show damped harmonic motion.
10.5.2. The amplitude of a damped harmonic oscillator decreases two
percent with each cycle. How much energy is lost to frictional
forces during each cycle?
a) 4.0 %
b) 3.0 %
c) 2.0 %
d) 1.4 %
e) 1.0 %
10.6.1. For many centuries, soldiers have been trained to march side by side
with their steps matching all of the other soldiers. At time t = 0 s, the
soldiers all step with their left feet and continue marching with the same
period. When they come upon a bridge, how should they change their
marching, if at all?
a) They should continue marching with the same period.
b) Every other row of soldiers should take two steps for every one taken by the
rows of soldiers ahead and behind them.
c) Every other row of soldiers should take a step with their right foot when the
rows of soldiers ahead and behind them are stepping with their left feet, but
keep marching with the same period.
d) They should all walk at their own pace so that they do not cause resonance
on the bridge.
10.7.1. While setting up a simple pendulum, Jon hangs a ball on one end of a steel
wire of diameter d and attaches the other end to the ceiling. While the ball is
stationary, Jon measures the length of the wire and finds that the length has
increased by a distance y. Which one of the following options should Jon
follow to minimize the amount the length changes?
a) Cut the wire in half and use one half to hang the ball from the ceiling.
b) Replace the wire with one of identical dimensions, but composed of tungsten.
c) Replace the ball with one with one half the mass of the original ball.
d) Connect the pendulum to a fixture that allows the pendulum to swing closer to
the ground.
e) Replace the wire with one made of the same material and of the same length, but
with a diameter 2d.
10.7.2. Two rods are made out of brass and have the same length. The cross
section of one of the rods is circular with a diameter 2a. The other rod
has a square cross section, where each side of the square is a length 2a.
One end of the rods is attached to an immovable fixture which allows the
rods to hang vertically. To the free end of each rod, a block of mass m is
attached. Which rod, if either, will stretch more after the block is
attached?
a) The one with the circular cross section will stretch more.
b) The one with the square cross section will stretch more.
c) Both will stretch by the same amount.
d) One cannot say which will stretch more without knowing the numerical
values of a and m.
10.7.3. A cube made of brass (B = 6.7 × 1010 N/m2) is taken by submarine
from the surface where the pressure is 1.01 × 105 N/m2 to the deepest
part of the ocean at a depth of 1.10 × 104 m where it is exposed to a
pressure is 1.25 × 108 N/m2. What is the percent change in volume as
a result of this movement?
a) 0.413 %
b) 0.297 %
c) 0.180 %
d) 0.114 %
e) This cannot be calculated without knowing the initial dimensions of
the cube.
10.7.4. A 1.00-m long wire with a diameter of 0.02 m stretches by
0.03 m when a 20 000-N force is applied to one end as the other
is held fixed. Consider an identical wire, except that it has a
diameter of 0.04 m. If a 20 000-N force is applied to it, how
much will this new wire stretch?
a) 0.06 m
b) 0.015 m
c) 0.0075 m
d) 0.12 m
e) 0.03 m
10.7.5. A 1.00-m long wire with a diameter of 0.02 m stretches by
0.03 m when a 20 000-N force is applied to one end as the other
is held fixed. Consider an identical wire, except that it has a
length of 2.00 m. If a 20 000-N force is applied to it, how
much will this new wire stretch?
a) 0.06 m
b) 0.015 m
c) 0.0075 m
d) 0.12 m
e) 0.03 m
10.7.6. A cylindrical, 0.500-m rod has a diameter of 0.02 m. The
rod is stretched to a length of 0.501 m by a force of 3000 N.
What is the Young’s modulus of the material?
a) 1.5 × 108 N/m2
b) 1.2 × 109 N/m2
c) 7.5 × 107 N/m2
d) 4.8 × 109 N/m2
e) More information is needed to calculate the Young’s modulus.