Answer to Question #206615 in Classical Mechanics for Rae

Question

The period of a mass-on-spring oscillator is 3 seconds. Upon decreasing its mass by 500 g, the period will become 2 seconds.

a) Calculate the original mass!

b) Calculate the spring constant!

Answer 1

$$T=2\pi\sqrt{\frac{m}{k}}\\\frac{3}{2}=\sqrt{\frac{m}{m-0.5}}\\m=0.9\ kg$$

$$3=2\pi\sqrt{\frac{0.9}{k}}\\k=4\frac{N}{m}$$