Division of Technical Education and Management Studies

Applied Engineering Science ESC 103

Pass Exam Question Spring 2009
Vibrations SHM

Spring 2006
(a) Define simple harmonic motion.
(b) State the equation for the period of a vibrating spring in terms of its spring constant and
the mass



A 600g mass at rest on the end of a horizontal spring (K=240 N/m) is struck by a hammer,
which gives it an initial speed of 3.75 m/s. Determine
(a) The period and frequency of the motion.
(b) The amplitude.
(c) The maximum acceleration.
(d) The total energy.
(e) The velocity at a distance of 2.4 cm from its equilibrium position.

May 2005

Fig 1 shows a heavy disc attached to one end of a rod with the other end of
the rod fixed to the ceiling. The rod was observed to twists when a tangential
force is applied to the edge of the disc but when the force was removed, the
disc immediately rotated back to its original position. Also sudden removal of
the force caused the disc to rotate back and forth.

a) A student investigating this behaviour
recorded the angle of rotation
o
when
various force F (Newton) was applied.

The results plotted on a graph appeared as
shown in Fig 1b above.

What evidence is there to suggest that this is
a simple Harmonic Oscillator?



b) A vertical spring, fixed at the upper end, has a mass attached to the lower end. When the
spring is given a small extension it was observed to oscillate at a rate of 45 cycles per
minute. When an additional 160g mass is attached to the spring, it oscillated at a rate of
25 cycles per minute. Calculate the spring constant.
(i) If the spring is then given a deflection of 12cm, what will be the Potential energy
stored in the system.
(ii) What is velocity of the mass as it passes the equilibrium point?
(iii) What is the maximum acceleration of the mass?
(iv) What is the velocity of the mass at a distance of 8cm from the equilibrium point?
(v) Calculate the displacement at a time t=0.5 second.

Spring 2008
a) Define a simple harmonic oscillator
b) A vertical spring, fixed at the upper end, has a mass of 620g attached to the lower end.
When the spring is given a small extension it was observed to oscillate at a rate of 45
cycles per minute. When an additional mass m is attached to the spring, it oscillated at a
rate of 30 cycles per minute.
i. Calculate the spring constant
ii. If the spring is then given a deflection of 12cm, what will be the Potential
energy stored in the system.
iii. What is velocity of the mass as it passes the equilibrium point?
iv. What is the maximum acceleration of the mass?
v. What is the velocity of the mass at a distance of 8cm from the equilibrium
point?
vi. Calculate the displacement at a time t=0.5 millisecond.


Spring 2007
A spring has one end fastened to the ceiling and the other end allowed to hang freely as
shown in Fig 7. When a mass of 450g is attached to the
free end, the spring has a length of 65cm. When a mass
of 750 is attached the spring has a length of 85cm.
Calculate the following:
a. The spring constant
b. The length of the spring when a mass of 900 g is
attached
If the mass is pulled down 15cm and released, calculate
the frequency of oscillation
c. The maximum velocity
d. The velocity when the displacement is 6cm
e. The frequency and period of the oscillation
f. The maximum acceleration.
g. The velocity at time t =12milliseconds.
h. The potential energy at time t =12milliseconds.

Fall 2006
A student performed an investigation on a cantilever (a stiff rod fixed at one end) by
measuring the deflection when various weights are attached to the free end of the
cantilever as shown in Fig 1 below.
The resulting measurements produced the graph shown in Fig 2
a) J ustify the students conclusion that the cantilever is a Simple Harmonic
Oscillator.

b) Give one limitation of this oscillator.
c) A mass of 240 grams was fastened to the end of the cantilever end deflected 12
mm. If with the 240 gram mass the cantilever was given a deflection of 20 mm
and released then calculate the following:
(i) The spring constant
(ii) The total energy of the vibration
(iii) The maximum acceleration of the vibration
(iv) The velocity at 8.2 cm from the equilibrium point
(v) The time taken to complete 12 oscillations