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jdp1991
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Homework Statement
A block attached to a spring is experiencing simple harmonic motion. You know the value of postion, velocity, and acceleration at an unknown time. Find the period of oscillation, the mass of the block, and the amplitude of oscillation.
We were given values for k, x, v, a
Homework Equations
F=ma=kx
Tspring=2∏√(m/k)
x=Acos(ωt+phi)
The Attempt at a Solution
This was the final question on an exam I just took and I was baffled about how to find Amplitude. We were given values for position, velocity, and acceleration, but I cannot remember what they were off the top of my head, so an algebraic solution is fine.
I started my finding the mass of the block by setting kx=ma: m=kx/a
I then plugged that value for m into the spring period equation: T=2∏√((kx/a)/k)=2∏√(x/a)
The previous two I'm not confident about, but I was completely lost when asked to find the amplitude.
Thanks
EDIT: The problem takes place on a horizontal plane (a flat frictionless surface)
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