Understanding Simple Harmonic Motion

This video tutorial by Mr. Andersen covers the essentials of simple harmonic motion, focusing on two main examples: the mass spring oscillator and the pendulum. It explains the concept of equilibrium and restoring forces, and how these lead to simple harmonic motion. The video discusses the period of harmonic motion, how it is measured, and the factors that affect it, such as mass, spring stiffness, pendulum length, and gravitational field strength. Through simulations, the video demonstrates how these factors influence the period and provides a detailed analysis of motion, including position, velocity, and acceleration.

What is an example of simple harmonic motion?

• A car driving on a highway

• A child on a swing

• A bird flying in the sky

• A person walking

How can the period of a mass spring oscillator be increased?

• By increasing the gravitational field strength

• By decreasing the mass

• By increasing the mass

• By making the spring less stiff

What factor does not affect the period of a pendulum?

• Angle of release

• Mass of the pendulum

• Length of the pendulum

• Gravitational field strength

At what point is the velocity of an object in simple harmonic motion at its maximum?

• At the maximum displacement

• At the minimum displacement

• At the equilibrium position

• At the point of release

In a horizontal spring system, when is the acceleration of the object zero?

• At the maximum displacement

• At the minimum displacement

• At the equilibrium position

• At the point of release

What happens to the period of a mass spring oscillator when the spring constant is increased?

• The period increases

• The period decreases

• The period remains the same

• The period becomes infinite

In the mass spring oscillator experiment, what effect does increasing the mass have on the period?

• It makes the period infinite

• It increases the period

• It has no effect on the period

• It decreases the period

What effect does decreasing the length of a pendulum have on its period?

• It increases the period

• It decreases the period

• It has no effect on the period

• It makes the period infinite

How does changing the gravitational field strength affect the period of a pendulum?

• Changing the field strength has no effect on the period

• Increasing the field strength increases the period

• Increasing the field strength decreases the period

• Decreasing the field strength decreases the period

In the pendulum experiment, what happens to the period when the pendulum is moved to a location with a stronger gravitational field?

• The period remains the same

• The period increases

• The period becomes infinite

• The period decreases