Physics 121 General Physics
Concept Quizzes
Chapter 15 Oscillatory Motion

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A mass, attached to a spring, executes Simple Harmonic Motion about its equilibrium position. At the exact moment the mass moves through its equilibrium position:

1. its instantaneous acceleration
has maximum magnitude.
is zero.
has greater than zero magnitude (but not maximum).

2. its instantaneous speed
has maximum magnitude.
is zero.
has greater than zero magnitude (but not maximum).

A mass, suspended from a spring is oscillating up and down. Consider two possibilities:

1. At some point during the oscillation the mass has zero velocity but non-zero acceleration.
2. At some point during the oscillation the mass has zero velocity and zero acceleration.

Both occur sometime during the oscillation.
Neither occurs during the oscillation.
Only 1 occurs.
Only 2 occurs.

A mass, attached to the free end of an ideal spring, executes Simple Harmonic Motion described by the equation

x = 0.5 cos(18t)

where x is in metres and t is in seconds. What is the maximum speed of the mass?

36 m/s
9 m/s
3 m/s
None of the above.

A person sits on a swing. When the person sits still, the swing oscillates back and forth at its natural frequency. If, instead, two people sit on the swing, the new natural frequency of the swing is
greater than it was with one person.
the same than it was with one person.
smaller than it was with one person.
A person sits on a swing. When the person sits still, the swing oscillates back and forth at its natural frequency. If, instead, the person stands on the swing, the new natural frequency of the swing is
greater than it was with the person sitting.
the same than it was with the person sitting.
smaller than it was with the person sitting.
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