9

Oscillations

Objective Questions
1. A car with a defective suspension system moves over a bump on the road.
Which of the following graphs correctly shows how the height h of the centre of gravity of
the car varies with time t?
A h
C
h

B
0

D
t

2. Which of the following statements about critical damping of a system is correct?

A The forced frequency equals the natural frequency of the system.
B The system returns to the equilibrium position without oscillating.
C The amplitude of oscillation decreases exponentially.
D Energy is dissipated exponentially from the system.
3. The figure shows a pendulum X forcing another pendulum Y into oscillation, resulting in
resonance. Which of the following statements is correct?

Pendulum X

Pendulum Y

radians between the oscillations of pendulums X and Y.

A There is a phase difference of
2
B The amplitude of oscillation of pendulum Y is the minimum.
C Energy is transferred from X to Y, but not from Y to X.
D Pendulums X and Y are oscillating in phase.
4. A system is forced into oscillation by an external periodic force at various frequencies f. The
variation of the amplitude of the oscillation with the frequency f of the external force is as
shown. The resonant frequency is f0. The experiment is then repeated with the damping increased.
Amplitude
Peak

Which
A The
B The
C The
D The

f0

of the following best describes the change in the shape of the graph?
peak is sharper and the resonant frequency is greater than f0.
peak is lower and the resonant frequency is greater than f0.
peak is lower and the resonant frequency is less than f0.
peak is lower and the resonant frequency remains as f0.
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QB AA STPM Phys V1 C9 4th.indd 1

3/7/2008 5:00:32 PM

5. The figure shows two loads X and Y of masses m and 2m respectively hanging from identical
springs. The surface area of X is larger than that of Y. The point of suspension O of each
spring is connected to a vibrator that causes the point O to vibrate vertically. The frequency f
of the vibrator is increased slowly and the amplitudes of oscillation of each load at different
frequencies are measured.
O

m
Y

2m

Which of the following pairs of graphs of amplitude against frequency is correct?

A Amplitude
C Amplitude
X
Y

Amplitude

Amplitude

Y
Y

Structured Question
1. (a) Explain the following terms.
(i) Free oscillation
(ii) Forced oscillation
(iii) Damped oscillation
(b) On the same axes, draw the displacementtime graph for an oscillation that is
(i) undamped
(ii) underdamped
(iii) critically damped.

Essay Question
1. (a) Explain what is meant by resonance. State the condition necessary for resonance.
(b) Describe one example where resonance is useful and one example where resonance is a
nuisance.
(c) The figure shows a vibrating bar at one end of a ripple tank and a wooden cube floating
on the water at the other end. The motor of the vibrating bar is connected to a frequency
generator. When the generator frequency is increased from zero, the wooden cube is
observed to vibrate with large amplitude for a certain frequency f0.
Vibrating
bar

Wooden
cube

Water

(i) Explain this observation.

(ii) Draw a graph to show the variation of the amplitude of vibration of the wooden cube
with the frequency f of the frequency generator.
(iii) Deduce an expression for f0 in terms of the length L of the cube submerged in water
and the acceleration due to gravity g.
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QB AA STPM Phys V1 C9 4th.indd 2

3/7/2008 5:00:34 PM