Vibrations and Waves MP205, Assignment 6

Please hand in your solutions before 5pm Wednesday 1st April, starred questions will be
done out in tutorial and do not need to be handed up.
If you have any questions about this assignment, please ask your tutor,
N Ruairc, (uniruairc@thphys.nuim.ie), Office 1.6, Dept. Mathematical Physics.
Una

* 1. Two identical pendulums are connected by a light coupling spring. Each pendulum
has a length of 0.4 m, and they are at a place where g = 9.8 ms2 . With the
coupling spring connected, one pendulum is clamped and the period of the other is
found to be 1.25 sec exactly.
(a) With neither pendulum clamped, what are the periods of the two normal
modes?
(b) What is the time interval between successive maximum possible amplitudes of
one pendulum after one pendulum is drawn aside and released?
2. Write out the (relevant) equations of motion for the following system when:

(a) A and B are both free

(b) A is clamped
(c) B is clamped
(Assume A moves along the line of the springs.)
Note: You do NOT have to solve these equations of motion
3. Two equal masses on an effectively frictionless horizontal air track are held between
rigid supports by three identical springs, as shown. The displacements from equilibrium along the line of the springs are described by coordinates xA and xB . If either
of the masses is clamped, the period T for one complete vibration of the other is 3
sec.

*(a) Write out the equations of motion for the system.

(b) If both masses are free, what are the periods of the two normal modes of the
system?
At t = 0, mass A is at its normal resting position and mass B is pulled aside a
distance of 5 cm. The masses are released from rest at this instant.
(c) Write an equation for the subsequent displacement of each mass as a function
of time.
(d) What length of time (in seconds) characterises the periodic transfer of the
motion from B to A and back again?
4. Two objects, A and B, each of mass m, are connected by springs as shown. The
coupling spring has a spring constant kc , and the other two springs have spring
constant k0 . If B is clamped, A vibrates at a frequency A of 1.81 sec1 . The
frequency 1 of the lower normal mode is 1.14 sec1 .

(a) Briefly explain why the equations of motion of A and B are given by:
d 2 xA
m 2 = k0 xA kc (xA xB )
dt
d 2 xB
m 2 = k0 xB kc (xB xA )
dt
p
k0 /m, show that the angular frequencies 1 and 2 of the
(b) Putting 0 =
normal modes are given by
1 = 0

2 = [02 + (2kc /m)]1/2 ,

and that the angular frequency of A when B is clamped (xB = 0 always) is

given by
A = [02 + (kc /m)]1/2 .
(c) Using the numerical data above, calculate the expected frequency (2 ) of the
higher normal mode. (The observed value was 2.27 sec1 ).
(d) From the same data calculate the ratio kc /k0 of the two spring constants.