A heavy 7 kg mass on a weak 12 N/m spring oscillates with an amplitude of 23 cm. At what frequency in Hz does the mass oscillate?

1 answer

To find the frequency at which the mass oscillates, we can use the formula for the frequency of simple harmonic motion:

f = (1 / (2π)) * sqrt(k / m),

where f is the frequency, k is the spring constant, and m is the mass.

Given:
k = 12 N/m
m = 7 kg

Substituting the given values into the formula, we get:

f = (1 / (2π)) * sqrt(12 N/m / 7 kg)

Now, simplify the expression:

f = (1 / (2π)) * sqrt(12 / 7) Hz

To calculate the numerical value, substitute the approximate value for √(12/7) and evaluate:

f ≈ (1 / (2π)) * (1.2309) Hz

f ≈ 0.1969 Hz

Therefore, the mass oscillates at approximately 0.1969 Hz.