A steel ball attached to a spring moves in simple harmonic motion. The amplitude of the ball's motion is 11.0 cm, and the spring constant is 6.00 N/m. When the ball is halfway between its equilibrium position and its maximum displacement from equilibrium, its speed is 26.1 cm/s. (a) What is the mass of the ball (in kg)? kg (b) What is the period of oscillation (in s)? s (c) What is the maximum acceleration of the ball? (Enter the magnitude in m/s2.) m/s2

a) m = 0.626 kg , b) T = 2.09 s , c)   a = 1.0544 m / s²

Explanation:

In a spring mass system the equation of motion is

        x = A cos (wt + Ф)

with      w = √(k / m)

a) velocity is defined by

        v = dx / dt

        v = - A w sin (wt + Ф)          (1)

give us that the speed is

        v = 26.1 m / s

for the point

        x = a / 2

the range of motion is a = 11.0 cm

       x = 11.0 / 2

       x = 5.5 cm

Let's find the time it takes to get to this distance

       wt + Ф = cos⁻¹ (x / A)

       wt + Ф = cos 0.5

        wt + Ф = 0.877

In the exercise they do not indicate that the body started its movement with any speed, therefore we assume that for the maximum elongation the body was released, therefore the phase is zero f

       Ф = 0

       wt = 0.877

       t = 0.877 / w

we substitute in equation 1

       26.1 = -11.0 w sin (w 0.877 / w)

        w = 26.1 / (11 sin 0.877))

        w = 3.096 rad / s

from the angular velocity equation

       w² = k / m

       m = k / w²

       m = 6 / 3,096²

       m = 0.626 kg

b) angular velocity and frequency are related

       w = 2π f

frequency and period are related

        f = 1 / T

we substitute

        w = 2π / T

        T = 2π / w

        T = 2π / 3,096

        T = 2.09 s

c) maximum acceleration

 the acceleration of defined by

        a = dv / dt

        a = - Aw² cos (wt)

the acceleration is maximum when the cosine is ±1

         a = A w²

          a = 11  3,096²

        a = 105.44 cm / s²

we reduce to m / s

        a = 1.0544 m / s²

the diagram which shows forces as either balanced = same speed or unbalanced = accelerarting