Lab 01 – Simple Harmonic Motion
Introduction
Welcome to your second semester of physics. This lab will warm you up to the concepts in this
course and familiarize you with the format of labs in an online course. The majority of
experiments done in this semester of physics are likely too expensive to do even in a university
lab, so we will make heavy use of simulations. There will be a few times you can experiment
with items from home, but then you will need to supplement your learning with an online
simulator.
The first lab will review periodic motion, the first topic in the course. This type of motion may
seem a little “redundant”, but it is a very common phenomenon in all sciences: biology,
chemistry, physics, and astronomy. As such, it is worth becoming familiar with the foundations
of periodic motion.
Materials/Supplies
Materials needed: Computer
Time Spent
Time spent on lab: 2 hours
Learning Objectives
Define periodic motion and how the kinematic equations apply to the periodic motion of
point masses
, Activity #1
To begin this week’s lab, please proceed to:
PHET Interactive Simulations Web Page
This webpage has an introductory page, and once you click on “Intro” you should see something
like this:
Here we see some hanging masses on the bottom left. Some of the masses are labeled. You
can click and drag weight of known mass and place it on the spring on the left. Take a different
mass and place it on the spring on the right.
1. Using the timer on the upper right, record the time for each mass to complete 10 cycles
of motion. If you have forgotten the meaning of periodic properties, you can refer to the
text or to The Physics Classroom webpage. Record your answers in the space below.
Then calculate the time for one period of each mass. Finally calculate the frequency of
each mass. Make sure to clearly label your values.
Answer:
100 g block (a):
8.13 seconds to complete 10 cycles
Ta= 0.813s
Fa= 1.23Hz
50 g block (b):
5.75 seconds to complete 10 cycles
Tb= 0.575s
Fb= 1.74Hz
Introduction
Welcome to your second semester of physics. This lab will warm you up to the concepts in this
course and familiarize you with the format of labs in an online course. The majority of
experiments done in this semester of physics are likely too expensive to do even in a university
lab, so we will make heavy use of simulations. There will be a few times you can experiment
with items from home, but then you will need to supplement your learning with an online
simulator.
The first lab will review periodic motion, the first topic in the course. This type of motion may
seem a little “redundant”, but it is a very common phenomenon in all sciences: biology,
chemistry, physics, and astronomy. As such, it is worth becoming familiar with the foundations
of periodic motion.
Materials/Supplies
Materials needed: Computer
Time Spent
Time spent on lab: 2 hours
Learning Objectives
Define periodic motion and how the kinematic equations apply to the periodic motion of
point masses
, Activity #1
To begin this week’s lab, please proceed to:
PHET Interactive Simulations Web Page
This webpage has an introductory page, and once you click on “Intro” you should see something
like this:
Here we see some hanging masses on the bottom left. Some of the masses are labeled. You
can click and drag weight of known mass and place it on the spring on the left. Take a different
mass and place it on the spring on the right.
1. Using the timer on the upper right, record the time for each mass to complete 10 cycles
of motion. If you have forgotten the meaning of periodic properties, you can refer to the
text or to The Physics Classroom webpage. Record your answers in the space below.
Then calculate the time for one period of each mass. Finally calculate the frequency of
each mass. Make sure to clearly label your values.
Answer:
100 g block (a):
8.13 seconds to complete 10 cycles
Ta= 0.813s
Fa= 1.23Hz
50 g block (b):
5.75 seconds to complete 10 cycles
Tb= 0.575s
Fb= 1.74Hz
