Elasticity & Simple Harmonic Motion [SHM]

1. A force of 0.8 N stretches an elastic spring by 2 cm. find the elastic constant of the
spring
2. A force of 2 N stretches an elastic material by 30 mm. what additional force will
stretch the material 35 mm? Assume that the elastic limit is not exceeded.
3. A spring is stretched 40 mm by a force of 15 N. what is the workdone by the force?
4. A spiral spring is compressed by 0.02 m. Calculate the energy stored in the spring, if
the force constant is 400 N𝑚−1.
5. A spiral spring has a length of 14 cm when a force of 4 N is hung on it. A force of 6 N
extends the spring by 4 cm. calculate the unstretched length of the spring.
6. A wire gradually stretched by loading it until it snaps.
(a) Sketch a load-extension graph for the wire. Indicate on the graph the
(i) elastic limit (E); (ii) yield point (Y) (iii) breaking point (B).
7. The table below shows the pointer reading of a spring balance when different
weights are hung on it. Determine the value of F
Weight/N 5 10 F
Pointer 8 12 30
reading/cm
8. A wire of length 2.00 m and radius 1.0 mm is stretched by 25.0 mm on the
application of a force of 103 N. calculate the Young’s modulus for the wire.
9. A metallic bar 50 cm long has uniform cross-sectional area of 4.0 𝑐𝑚2 . If a tensile
force of 35 kN produces an extension of 0.25 mm, calculate the value of Young’s
modulus
10. A force of 40 N is applied at the free end of a wire fixed at one end to produce an
extension of 0.24 mm. if the original length and the diameter of the wire are 3 m and
2.0 mm respectively, calculate the:
a) stress on the wire b) strain in the wire c) young’s modulus
11. A steel wire, 1.0 m long, is suspended vertically from a support a load is hung at its
free end. If the strain of the wire is 3.5× 10−4 , calculate the energy stored in the
stretched wire. [Force constant of the wire k = 5.0 × 10−4 Nm−1 ]
12. The permitted strain on a steel wire of diameter 1.0 mm is 10−3 . Calculate the
maximum load that could be placed on the wire. [Young ′ s modulus of the wire =
2.0 × 1011 Nm−1 ]
13. The elastic cord of a catapult has a cross-sectional area of 1.0 𝑚𝑚2 and unstretched
length of 10 cm. it is stretched to 15 cm and then released to 15.0 cm and then
released to project a missile of mass 5.0 g. Calculate the energy stored in the core.
[Young ′ smodulus of the cord = 5.0 × 108 Nm−1 ]
14. Explain the following terms
a) tensile strain b) tensile stress c) young’s modulus

1 |6 <StegaTutorials//Elasticity & Simple Harmonic Motion/>

 Elasticity & Simple Harmonic Motion [SHM]
15. A light spiral spring of force constant K lies on a horizontal frictionless surface and
has one end fixed to a vertical wall. A block P of mass 2.0 kg placed against the free
end of the spring is pushed a distance 5 cm towards the wall with 10 J of energy as
illustrated in the diagram above. The block is released and after 0.25 s, it collides
inelastically with a stationary block Q of mass 4.0 kg. Calculate the:
(i) value of k; (ii) force used to compress the spring;
(iii) acceleration of the block p after release; (iv) common speed after collision
of the blocks.
16. A graph of tensile stress is plotted against tensile strain. What does the slope
represent?
17. State the Hooke’s law of elasticity and Give two applications of Hooke’s law
18. State two properties of an elastic material
19. State the physical quantities one has to measure in order to determine Young’s
modulus of a wire

The figure here illustrates force-extension graph for a stretched spiral spring.
Determine the
work done on the spring.
20. The diagram below represents the graph of the force applied in stretching a spiral
spring against the corresponding extension produced within its elastic limit.

Using the notations on the graph, determine the:

(a) force constant of the spring;
(b) work done in stretching the spring from 10 x 10−2 m to 20 x 10−2 m.
21. A varying force F applied to a spring produces corresponding extension e, in the
spring.

2 |6 <StegaTutorials//Elasticity & Simple Harmonic Motion/>

 Elasticity & Simple Harmonic Motion [SHM]
(a) State two quantities that can be deduced from the graph of F against e within the
elastic limit of the spring.
(b) Show how any of the quantities stated in (a) could be obtained from the graph.
22. A wire of length 6.5 m and diameter 3.0mm extends by 0.20 mm when a force of 60
N acts on the wire. Calculate the stress on the wire [ 𝜋 = 3.14 ]
23. A rubber band is stretched to twice its original length. Calculate the strain on the
rubber band
24. State Hooke’s laws of elasticity. Support you’re answer with an equation
25. In a laboratory experiment to determine the force constant of a spiral spring, the
mass on the spring was varied and the corresponding extensions were measured
and recorded as shown in the table below.

Mass Weight W/N Extension e/cm

m/g
50 6.5
100 11.0
150 15.0
200 20.0
250 25.0

a) Copy and complete the table. (Take g = 10m𝑠 −2 )

b) Plot a graph with weight, W, on the vertical axis and extension, e, on the
horizontal axis.
c) Using the graph, determine the force constant of the spring.
d) Determine the natural length of the spring if its length was 38.0 cm when loaded
with 250 g mass.
26. A stone of mass 20 g is released from a catapult whose rubber has been stretched
through 4cm. if the force constant of the rubber is 200 N𝑚−1, calculate the velocity
with which the stone leaves the catapult.
27.

In fig. 1a and fig. 1b above, Wa and Wb represent the respective loads on a

spring placed
near a 30cm rule, when in air and when in water.
(a) Identify the force causing shrink in the spring in fig. 1(b).

3 |6 <StegaTutorials//Elasticity & Simple Harmonic Motion/>

 Elasticity & Simple Harmonic Motion [SHM]
(b) Given that the force constant of the spring is 2.0 x 1011 N𝑚−1, calculate the
workdone
by the force in causing the shrink.
28. A mass of 11.0 kg is suspended from a rigid support by an aluminium wire of length
2.0m, diameter 2.0 mm and Young’s modulus 7.0 x 11011 𝑁𝑚−1 . Determine the
extension produced. [g = 10 𝑚𝑠 −2]
29. A spiral spring with a metal extends by 10.5 cm in air When the metal Is fully in
water , the spring extends by 6.8 cm. Calculate the relative density of the metal
(Assume Hooke s law Is obeyed)
30. A wire of length 55 m and force constant 700 N𝑚−1 extends to 55.06 m when
loaded. Calculate the work done by the load.
31. Name one instrument which operates on the principle of Hooke’s law
32. Which property of an elastic material does the constant of proportionality k represent
in the equation; F = ke?
33.

A block of mass 4 kg is released from rest above a spiral spring with force constant
900 Nm−1 . The block hits and compresses the spring as illustrated in the diagram
above. Calculate the compression of the spring (𝑔 = 10 𝑚𝑠 −2 )
34. An archer pulls by 0.7 m with an arrow of mass 60 g. if the stiffness of the bow is
200 N𝑚−1, calculate the speed of the arrow immediately after its release.
35. A spiral spring extends from a length of 10.0 cm to 10.01 cm when a force of 20 N is
applied on it. Calculate the force constant of the spring
36. A force of 40 N applied at the end of a wire of length 4 m and diameter 2.00 mm
produces an extension of 0.24 mm. Calculate the:
(a) stress on the wire; (b) strain in the wire (π =3.142)
37. A Spiral spring of natural length 20.00 cm has a scale hanging freely in its lower end.
When an object mass 40 g is placed in the pan, its length becomes 21.80 cm. When
the object is replaced with another of 60 g, the length becomes 22.05 cm. Calculate
the mass scale pan.
38. Define (a) force constant; (b) elasticity; (c) yield point. (d) elastic limit
39. What is simple harmonic motion?
40. Define the following s applied to simple harmonic motion and state their SI units
(a) Period (b) frequency (c) amplitude
41. Sketch a diagram of a simple pendulum performing simple harmonic motion and
indicate positions of
(a) maximum potential energy and kinetic energy
(b) minimum and maximum velocity
(c) minimum and maximum acceleration

4 |6 <StegaTutorials//Elasticity & Simple Harmonic Motion/>

 Elasticity & Simple Harmonic Motion [SHM]
1 𝑘
42. simple harmonic motion of frequency; 𝑓 = √ , where k is the force constant
2𝜋 𝑚
of the spring.

𝑘
(a) Explain the physical significance of √𝑚
(b) If m = 0.30 kg, k = 30 𝑁𝑚−1 and the maximum position is 0.015 m,
calculate the:
(i) maximum kinetic energy
(ii) tension in the spring during the motion [g = 10 𝑚𝑠 −2, π = 3.142]
43. An object of weight 120 N vibrates with a period of 4.0 s when hang from a spring.
Calculate the force per unit length of the spring.
44. During a training session, two footballers pass a ball repeatedly between
themselves. Give two reasons why the to and fro motion of the ball is not simple
harmonic.
45. A body moving with simple harmonic motion in a straight line has velocity, v and
acceleration, a, when the instantaneous displacement, x in cm, from its maximum
position is given by x = 2.5 sin 0.4 πt, where t is in seconds. Determine the
magnitude of the maximum
(i) velocity; (ii) acceleration
46. A mass m attached to a light spiral is caused to perform
47. Having landed on a newly discovered planet, an astronaut sets up a simple
pendulum of length 0.6 m and finds that it makes 51 complete oscillations in 1
minute. The amplitude of the oscillations is small compared to the length of the
pendulum. What is the surface gravitational acceleration on the planet?
48. A body of mass 20 g performs a simple harmonic motion at a frequency of 5 Hz. At a
distance of 10 cm from the mean position, its velocity is 200 cm 𝑠 −1 . Calculate its:
(a) maximum displacement from the mean position;
(b) maximum velocity;
(c) maximum potential energy. (g = 10 𝑚𝑠 −2 , π = 3.14)
49. The surface of an ear drum (assumed circular) has a radius 2.1 mm. It resonates
with an amplitude of 0.8 x 10−7 m as a result of impulses received from an external
body vibrating at 2400 Hz. If the resulting pressure change on the ear drum is 3.6 x
10−5 𝑁𝑚−2 , calculate the:
(i) period of oscillation; (ii) velocity; (iii) acceleration; (iv) force. [π = 3.14 ].
50. Using the same set of axes, sketch and label two graphs to illustrate the variation of
potential energy and kinetic energy with time for a body in simple harmonic motion.
51. A 100 g body hung on the spring elongates the spring by 4.0 cm. when a certain
object is hung on the spring and set into vibration, its period is 0.568 s. what is the
mass of the object pulling the object
52. A load of 15.0 elongates a spring by 2 cm. If body of mass 294 g is attached to the
spring and is set into vibration with an amplitude of 10.0 cm, what will be the
(a) Period (b) spring constant (c) maximum speed, of its vibration
53. 8.0 kg body execute SHM with amplitude 30 cm. The restoring force 60 N when the
displacement is 30 cm. find

5 |6 <StegaTutorials//Elasticity & Simple Harmonic Motion/>

 Elasticity & Simple Harmonic Motion [SHM]
(a) Period
(b) acceleration, speed, kinetic energy and potential energy when the displacement
is 12 cm.
54. A block of mass 4.0 kg is dropped from height of 0.8 m on to a spring of spring
constant 𝑘 = 1960 𝑁𝑚−1. Find the maximum distance through which the spring will
be compressed.
55. A bowling ball of mass 7.5 kg travelling at 10 𝑚𝑠 −1 rolls off a horizontal table 1.0 m
high. ( assume the acceleration due to gravity is 9.80 𝑚𝑠 −2, ignore air
resistance)
(a) Calculate the ball’s horizontal velocity just as it hit the floor
(b) What is the vertical velocity of the ball as it strike the floor?
(c) Calculate the velocity of the ball as it reaches the floor
(d) What time interval has elapsed between the ball leaving the table and striking
the floor
(e) Calculate the horizontal distance travelled by the ball as it falls.
56. Define (a) upthrust (b) relative density (c) density
57. State the (a) the Archimedes Principle (b) law of floatation
58. A metal block of density 900 𝑘𝑔𝑚−3 weighs 60 N in air. Find the its weight when it is
immersed in paraffin wax of density 800 𝑘𝑔𝑚−3 [ 𝑔 = 10 𝑚𝑠 −2]
1
59. A hydrometer of mass 3.60 kg and volume 6.00 × 10−5 𝑚3 floats in a liquid with 5 of
its volume above the liquid. Calculate the density of the liquid.
60. A block of material of volume 20 𝑐𝑚3 and density 2.5 𝑔𝑐𝑚−3 is suspended from a
spring balance with half the volume of the block immersed in water. What is the
reading of the spring balance? [ density of water = 1.0 𝑔𝑐𝑚−3 ]
61. A ball weighing 4.0 𝑘𝑔 of density 4000 𝑘𝑔𝑚−3 is completely immersed in water of
density 1000 𝑘𝑔𝑚−3. Determine the upthrust acting on it
62. A 2 𝑐𝑚3 sample of tin-lead alloy has mass of 18 g. if the density of tin is 7.3 𝑔𝑐𝑚−3
and that of lead is 11.4 𝑔𝑐𝑚−3, what fraction by weight of the alloy is tin? Assume
there is no change in volume when the metals form the alloy.
63. A piece of wood density 0.25 × 103 𝑘𝑔𝑚−3 floats in a liquid of density 1.25×
105 𝑘𝑔𝑚−3, what fraction of the volume of the wood will be immersed?
64. State the two conditions fulfilled by a body undergoing simple harmonic motion.
65. A pendulum of length 130.0 cm has a period of oscillation, 𝑇1 . The bod is pulled and
released to move in a horizontal circle of radius 50.0 cm. if the period of rotation is
𝑇2 , calculate the ratio 𝑇1 : 𝑇2 .

6 |6 <StegaTutorials//Elasticity & Simple Harmonic Motion/>

 Elasticity & Simple Harmonic Motion [SHM]

𝐹 = 𝑘𝑒 Hooke’s law of elasticity

1 1
𝑤 = 2 Fe OR w = 2 ke2 Workdone in stretching/compressing an elastic
material =
Elastic potential energy (energy stored in an elastic
material)
1
mgh = 2 ke2 Relation btn gravitational potential energy and elastic potential
energy
1 1
mv 2 = 2 ke2 Relation btn kinetic energy and elastic potential energy
2

e = ∆l = l − lo Compression/extension/change in length
𝑒
𝜖=𝑙 Tensile strain
𝑜

F
𝜎=𝐴 Tensile stress
𝑑 2
A = π (2) 𝐎𝐑 A = π𝑟 2 Cross sectional area of a wire
𝜎 F/A F𝑙0
E= 𝐎𝐑 E = 𝑒/𝑙 𝐎𝐑 E = Relation btn Young modulus, tensile stress and
𝜖 𝑜 𝐴𝑒

strain
𝑡
T=𝑛 Period of oscillation/vibration
𝑛
𝑓= Frequency of oscillation/vibration
𝑡
1
T= Relation btn period and frequency
𝑓

𝑙
𝑇 = 2𝜋√𝑔 Period of oscillation of the bob of simple pendulum

1 𝑔
𝑓 = 2𝜋 √ 𝑙 Frequency of oscillation of the bob of simple pendulum

𝑚
𝑇 = 2𝜋√ 𝑘 Period of vertical oscillation of a loaded spiral spring with mass, m

1 𝑘
𝑓= √ Frequency of vertical oscillation of a loaded spiral spring with mass,
2𝜋 𝑚

m
𝑌 = 𝐴 sin 𝜔𝑡 Displacement of a particle performing SHM
𝑣 = 𝜔√𝐴2 − 𝑥 2 Velocity/speed of a particle performing SHM
7 |6 <StegaTutorials//Elasticity & Simple Harmonic Motion/>
 Elasticity & Simple Harmonic Motion [SHM]
𝑣𝑚𝑎𝑥 = 𝜔𝐴 Maximum speed/velocity of particle performing SHM
𝑣𝑚𝑖𝑛 = 0 Minimum speed/velocity of a particle performing SHM
𝑎 = −𝜔2 𝑥 Acceleration of a particle performing SHM
𝑎𝑚𝑎𝑥 = −𝜔2 𝐴 Maximum acceleration of a particle performing SHM
𝑎𝑚𝑖𝑛 = 0 Minimum acceleration of a particle performing SHM
2𝜋 𝑘
𝜔= 𝑶𝑹 𝜔 = 2𝜋𝑓 𝑶𝑹 𝜔 = √𝑚 Angular speed/velocity/frequency of SHM
𝑇

𝑈 = 𝜌𝑓 × 𝑉𝑜 × 𝑔 Archimedes’ Principle
𝑈 = 𝑊𝑎 − 𝑊𝐿 Upthrust
𝜌 𝑚 𝑈𝐿
𝑅. 𝐷 = 𝜌 𝑜 𝐎𝐑 R. D = 𝑚 𝐿 𝐎𝐑 R. D = Relative density
𝑤 𝑊 𝑈𝑊

𝑊𝑜 = 𝑈 (weight of floating body = upthrust of fluid) Law of floatation

Related Constants

Acceleration due to gravity, 𝑔 = 10 𝑚𝑠 −2

Density of water , 𝜌 = 1000 kgm−3
𝜋 = 3.142

8 |6 <StegaTutorials//Elasticity & Simple Harmonic Motion/>