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1. This question is about simple harmonic oscillations.

A longitudinal wave travels through a medium from left to right.

Graph 1 shows the variation with time t of the displacement x of a particle P in the medium.

Graph 1

(a) For particle P,

(i) state how graph 1 shows that its oscillations are not damped.

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(1)

(ii) calculate the magnitude of its maximum acceleration.

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(2)

(iii) calculate its speed at t = 0.12 s.

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(2)

(iv) state its direction of motion at t = 0.12 s.

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(1)

(b) Graph 2 shows the variation with position d of the displacement x of particles in the
medium at a particular instant of time.

Graph 2

Determine for the longitudinal wave, using graph 1 and graph 2,

(i) the frequency.

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(2)

(ii) the speed.

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(2)

2. This question is about simple harmonic motion (SHM) and a wave in a string.

(a) By reference to simple harmonic motion, state what is meant by amplitude.

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(1)

(b) A liquid is contained in a U-tube.

Diagram 1 Diagram 2

The pressure on the liquid in one side of the tube is increased so that the liquid is
displaced as shown in diagram 2. When the pressure is suddenly released the liquid
oscillates.
The damping of the oscillations is small.

(i) Describe what is meant by damping.

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(2)

(ii) The displacement of the liquid surface from its equilibrium position is x. The
acceleration a of the liquid in the tube is given by the expression

2g
 x
a= l

where g is the acceleration of free fall and l is the total length of the liquid column.
The total length of the liquid column in the tube is 0.32 m. Determine the period of
oscillation.

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(c) A wave is travelling along a string. The string can be modelled as a single line of particles
and each particle executes simple harmonic motion. The period of oscillation of the
particles is 0.80 s.

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The graph shows the displacement y of part of the string at time t = 0. The distance along
the string is d.

(i) On the graph, draw an arrow to show the direction of motion of particle P at the
point marked on the string.
(1)

(ii) Determine the magnitude of the velocity of particle P.

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(4)

–1
(iii) Show that the speed of the wave is 5.0 m s .

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(3)

(iv) On the graph above, label with the letter X the position of particle P at t = 0.40 s.
(1)

3. This question is about simple harmonic motion and waves.

(a) A particle of mass m that is attached to a light spring is executing simple harmonic
motion in a horizontal direction.

State the condition relating to the net force acting on the particle that is necessary for it to
execute simple harmonic motion.

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(2)

(b) The graph shows how the kinetic energy EK of the particle in (a) varies with the
displacement x of the particle from equilibrium.

(i) Using the axes above, sketch a graph to show how the potential energy of the
particle varies with the displacement x.
(2)

(ii) The mass of the particle is 0.30 kg. Use data from the graph to show that the
frequency f of oscillation of the particle is 2.0 Hz.

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(4)

(c) The particles of a medium M1 through which a transverse wave is travelling, oscillate
with the same frequency and amplitude as that of the particle in (b).

(i) Describe, with reference to the propagation of energy through the medium, what is
meant by a transverse wave.

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(2)

–1
(ii) The speed of the wave is 0.80 m s . Calculate the wavelength of the wave.

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(1)

4. This question is about simple harmonic motion and waves.

An object is vibrating in air. The variation with displacement x of the acceleration a of the
object is shown below.

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(a) State and explain two reasons why the graph opposite indicates that the object is
executing simple harmonic motion.

1. ..................................................................................................................................

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2. ..................................................................................................................................

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(4)

(b) Use data from the graph to show that the frequency of oscillation is 350 Hz.

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(4)

(c) State the amplitude of the vibrations.

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(1)

(d) The motion of the object gives rise to a longitudinal progressive (travelling) sound wave.

(i) State what is meant by a longitudinal progressive wave.

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(2)

–1
(ii) The speed of the wave is 330 m s . Using the answer in (b), calculate the
wavelength of the wave.

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(2)

5. Simple harmonic motion and the greenhouse effect

(a) A body is displaced from equilibrium. State the two conditions necessary for the body to
execute simple harmonic motion.

1. .........................................................................................................................

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2. .........................................................................................................................

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(2)

(b) In a simple model of a methane molecule, a hydrogen atom and the carbon atom can be
regarded as two masses attached by a spring. A hydrogen atom is much less massive than
the carbon atom such that any displacement of the carbon atom may be ignored.

The graph below shows the variation with time t of the displacement x from its

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equilibrium position of a hydrogen atom in a molecule of methane.

–27
The mass of hydrogen atom is 1.7  10 kg. Use data from the graph above

(i) to determine its amplitude of oscillation.

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(1)

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(ii) to show that the frequency of its oscillation is 9.1  10 Hz.

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(2)

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(iii) to show that the maximum kinetic energy of the hydrogen atom is 6.2  10 J.

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(2)

(c) On the grid below, sketch a graph to show the variation with time t of the velocity v of the
hydrogen atom for one period of oscillation starting at t = 0. (There is no need to add
values to the velocity axis.)

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(3)

(d) Assuming that the motion of the hydrogen atom is simple harmonic, its frequency of
oscillation f is given by the expression

1 k
f ,
2 mp

where k is the force per unit displacement between a hydrogen atom and the carbon atom
and mp is the mass of a proton.

–1
(i) Show that the value of k is approximately 560 N m .

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(1)

(ii) Estimate, using your answer to (d)(i), the maximum acceleration of the hydrogen
atom.

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(2)

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