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Ch 15: Oscillations
Knight Calc - Physics for Scientists and Engineers 5th Edition
Knight Calc5th EditionPhysics for Scientists and EngineersISBN: 9780137344796Not the one you use?Change textbook
Chapter 15, Problem 54b

A compact car has a mass of 1200 kg. Assume that the car has one spring on each wheel, that the springs are identical, and that the mass is equally distributed over the four springs. What will be the car's oscillation frequency while carrying four 70 kg passengers?

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Step 1: Calculate the total mass of the car including the passengers. The car's mass is 1200 kg, and there are four passengers each with a mass of 70 kg. Add these together to find the total mass: \( m_{total} = m_{car} + 4 \cdot m_{passenger} \).
Step 2: Determine the effective mass supported by each spring. Since the car's mass is equally distributed over four springs, divide the total mass by 4: \( m_{spring} = \frac{m_{total}}{4} \).
Step 3: Recall the formula for the angular frequency of a spring-mass system: \( \omega = \sqrt{\frac{k}{m}} \), where \( k \) is the spring constant and \( m \) is the mass supported by the spring. Use this formula to calculate the angular frequency for one spring.
Step 4: Convert the angular frequency \( \omega \) to the oscillation frequency \( f \) using the relationship \( f = \frac{\omega}{2\pi} \).
Step 5: Combine the results from the previous steps to express the car's oscillation frequency while carrying the passengers. Ensure all units are consistent throughout the calculations.

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Key Concepts

Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.

Mass Distribution

In this scenario, the total mass of the car, including passengers, is distributed equally across the four springs. Understanding how mass affects the behavior of a spring system is crucial, as the effective mass supported by each spring influences the oscillation frequency of the system.
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Spring Constant and Oscillation Frequency

The oscillation frequency of a mass-spring system is determined by the spring constant (k) and the total mass (m) supported by the springs. The formula for the frequency (f) is f = (1/2π)√(k/m). This relationship shows that a higher mass or a lower spring constant results in a lower frequency of oscillation.
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Simple Harmonic Motion

The car's oscillation can be modeled as simple harmonic motion (SHM), where the restoring force is proportional to the displacement from equilibrium. In SHM, the system oscillates around a central position, and the frequency of oscillation is a key characteristic that describes how quickly the system moves back and forth.
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Related Practice
Textbook Question

A mass hanging from a spring oscillates with a period of 0.35 s. Suppose the mass and spring are swung in a horizontal circle, with the free end of the spring at the pivot. What rotation frequency, in rpm, will cause the spring's length to stretch by 15%?

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Textbook Question

It has recently become possible to 'weigh' DNA molecules by measuring the influence of their mass on a nano-oscillator. FIGURE P15.58 shows a thin rectangular cantilever etched out of silicon (density 2300 kg/m³) with a small gold dot (not visible) at the end. If pulled down and released, the end of the cantilever vibrates with SHM, moving up and down like a diving board after a jump. When bathed with DNA molecules whose ends have been modified to bind with gold, one or more molecules may attach to the gold dot. The addition of their mass causes a very slight—but measurable—decrease in the oscillation frequency. A vibrating cantilever of mass M can be modeled as a block of mass ⅓M attached to a spring. (The factor of ⅓ arises from the moment of inertia of a bar pivoted at one end.) Neither the mass nor the spring constant can be determined very accurately—perhaps to only two significant figures—but the oscillation frequency can be measured with very high precision simply by counting the oscillations. In one experiment, the cantilever was initially vibrating at exactly 12 MHz. Attachment of a DNA molecule caused the frequency to decrease by 50 Hz. What was the mass of the DNA?

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Textbook Question

A 500 g wood block on a frictionless table is attached to a horizontal spring. A 50 g dart is shot into the face of the block opposite the spring, where it sticks. Afterward, the spring oscillates with a period of 1.5 s and an amplitude of 20 cm. How fast was the dart moving when it hit the block?

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Textbook Question

A 1.00 kg block is attached to a horizontal spring with spring constant 2500 N/m. The block is at rest on a frictionless surface. A 10 g bullet is fired into the block, in the face opposite the spring, and sticks. What was the bullet's speed if the subsequent oscillations have an amplitude of 10.0 cm?

Textbook Question

Interestingly, there have been several studies using cadavers to determine the moments of inertia of human body parts, information that is important in biomechanics. In one study, the center of mass of a 5.0 kg lower leg was found to be 18 cm from the knee. When the leg was allowed to pivot at the knee and swing freely as a pendulum, the oscillation frequency was 1.6 Hz. What was the moment of inertia of the lower leg about the knee joint?

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Textbook Question

Scientists are measuring the properties of a newly discovered elastic material. They create a 1.5-m-long, 1.6-mm-diameter cord, attach an 850 g mass to the lower end, then pull the mass down 2.5 mm and release it. Their high-speed video camera records 36 oscillations in 2.0 s. What is Young's modulus of the material?