Exploration 16.1: Spring and Pendulum Motion

Please wait for the animation to completely load.

The animations depict the motion of a mass on a spring and a pendulum, respectively.  Restart.   

1. For Animation 1, plot the period of the motion vs. amplitude.  Drag the ball from equilibrium, varying the amplitude from 1 m to 10 m in 1-m steps.
2. For Animation 2, plot the period of the motion vs. amplitude.  Drag the ball from equilibrium, varying the amplitude from 0.1 radian to 1.0 radian in 0.1-radian steps.
3. What can you say about the period's dependence on amplitude for each animation?

Exploration authored by Mario Belloni.
Script authored by Morten Brydensholt, Wolfgang Christian, and Mario Belloni.
Instructor's Resource CD Edition: Do not post or distribute.
The complete version of Physlet Physics is available as a text with CD; Physlet Physics can be bundled with this Prentice Hall textbook.
© 2004 by Prentice-Hall, Inc. A Pearson Company