Using the same mass and spring, what is the period T of the oscillation?

Using the same mass and spring, what is the period T of the oscillation?

• A. 3.14 s
• B. 6.28 s
• C. 1.57 s
• D. 9.42 s

Answer: (A)

The period of a mass-spring oscillator is fixed by the mass and the spring constant, not by how far you release it. For an ideal spring-mmass system, the period T is given by T = 2π√(m/k). Because the same mass and spring are used, T doesn’t change between trials; repeating the experiment yields the same period. The amplitude only affects how far the mass moves, not how long it takes to complete one cycle, as long as the motion stays in the linear, small-amplitude regime. To get a different period you’d have to change the mass or the stiffness of the spring (or introduce noticeable damping or nonlinearity). So the correct option is the one that matches the period you obtained from the first measurement of this same setup.

The period of a mass-spring oscillator is fixed by the mass and the spring constant, not by how far you release it. For an ideal spring-mmass system, the period T is given by T = 2π√(m/k). Because the same mass and spring are used, T doesn’t change between trials; repeating the experiment yields the same period. The amplitude only affects how far the mass moves, not how long it takes to complete one cycle, as long as the motion stays in the linear, small-amplitude regime. To get a different period you’d have to change the mass or the stiffness of the spring (or introduce noticeable damping or nonlinearity). So the correct option is the one that matches the period you obtained from the first measurement of this same setup.