Simple Harmonic Motion Concepts

Professor Dave explains simple harmonic motion, focusing on periodic motion like that of a pendulum or a mass-spring system. He describes how energy dynamics work in a frictionless environment, detailing the role of the spring constant and Hooke's Law. The video also covers elastic potential energy and compares it to kinetic energy, highlighting their interchange during oscillation. Finally, the video briefly touches on pendulum motion, noting its reliance on gravitational potential energy.

What type of motion is characterized by repeated cycles, such as a pendulum or a vibrating spring?

• Circular motion

• Random motion

• Periodic motion

• Linear motion

In a frictionless mass-spring system, when is the kinetic energy of the block at its maximum?

• When the spring is most compressed

• When the spring is least compressed

• When the block is at the equilibrium position

• When the block is changing direction

What kind of graph would represent the position of a block in simple harmonic motion over time?

• Parabolic graph

• Sinusoidal graph

• Linear graph

• Exponential graph

What does the spring constant (k) represent in Hooke's Law?

• The mass of the block

• The stiffness of the spring

• The displacement of the object

• The frictional force

According to Hooke's Law, what is the relationship between the force exerted by a spring and the displacement of the object?

• Force is directly proportional to displacement

• Force is inversely proportional to displacement

• Force is equal to the square of the displacement

• Force is independent of displacement

What are the units of the spring constant (k) in Hooke's Law?

• Joules per meter

• Kilograms per meter

• Newtons per meter

• Meters per second

What is the formula for the elastic potential energy of a spring?

• 1/2 kx

• kx

• kx^2

• 1/2 kx^2

At what point does a spring have zero elastic potential energy?

• At equilibrium position

• At any point during oscillation

• At maximum extension

• At maximum compression

What type of potential energy is involved in the motion of a pendulum?

• Elastic potential energy

• Gravitational potential energy

• Thermal potential energy

• Chemical potential energy

Which of the following best describes the motion of a pendulum?

• Random motion

• Periodic motion

• Circular motion

• Linear motion