Spring - Pulley - Mass system. Proving omega is a certain value

In summary, the student is seeking help with a physics problem involving a block attached to a spring and pulley system. They have attempted to use conservation of energy and Newton's second law to solve for the angular frequency of oscillation but have not been successful. They are looking for hints and suggestions to help them solve the problem.
  • #1
Anavra
4
0

Homework Statement


Hello, everyone. I am a starting physics student. I know a little bit of calculus and mechanics. I have been solving a lot of problems successfully, but I come back to being stuck on this one. I will show you what I have done and I hope you can be kind enough to give me a general hint, I would really appreciate it. Am I doing something really wrong? I've been going around for days.

THANKS!


So here it goes:

A block of mass m is attached to a vertical spring by a rope hanging over a pulley (I = 1/2 MR2). The pulley has a mass M and a radius R. The rope does not slip and does not stretch.

Show that the angular frequency of oscillation is ω = [itex]\frac{2k}{M+m}[/itex]

It was accompanied by a drawing that looks like this.

GMkWaXO.png


Homework Equations



Conservation of mechanical energy.
Total Energy at position A = Total Energy at position B = E (constant)

Potential Elastic Energy = 1/2ky2
Potential Gravitational Energy = mgy

Kinetic Translational Energy = 1/2mv2
Kinetic Rotational Energy = 1/2 Iω2

v = ωR

Newton's second law
F = ma
τ = Iα = rxF

The Attempt at a Solution



BdSd0E9.png


Total Energy of Position A (As shown in picture)

E = 1/2ky2 + mgh + 1/2 mv2 + 1/2 Iω2
E = 1/2ky2 + mgh + 1/2 mv2 + 1/2 I (v2/R2)
E = 1/2ky2 + mgh + 1/2 mv2 + 1/4 MR2 (v2/R2)
E = 1/2ky2 + mgh + 1/2 mv2 + 1/4 Mv2
E = 1/2ky2 + mgh + (1/2 m + 1/4 M)v2

Total Energy of Position B (As shown in picture). I took position B as being the one with maximum amplitude, at which point the movement changes direction and so the velocities are 0, as are the kinetic energies. The little mass m is also at its designated y=0, so the only energy at this point is the energy of the stretched spring, and it's equal to the same constant.

E = 1/2k(y + h)2
E = 1/2k(y2 + 2yh + h2)By conservation of energy.
1/2ky2 + mgh + (1/2 m + 1/4 M)v2 = 1/2k(y2 + 2yh + h2)
mgh + (1/2 m + 1/4 M)v2 = kyh + 1/2kh2
h(mg - ky) + (1/2 m + 1/4 M)v2 = + 1/2kh2

It doesn't seem like this is ever going to become the neat equation for omega above. I notice that the first term is a sum of forces, that could result from Newton's second Law, except that this is not accounting for the moment of inertia of the pulley, that would make the tensions different. But even if the term (mg - ky) were equal to ma, that still leaves me with a differential equation with an acceleration and a velocity that I don't really recognize (Simple harmonic movement usually ends with an equation with an acceleration and a displacement, from which I can extract the angular frequency.)

Here's the free body diagram that I made of the system.

OIKW85X.png


By Newton's second Law,

For the mass:
T1 - mg = ma

For the point between the rope and the spring, it's thought of as mass-less, so to stop it from having an infinite acceleration from any net force:

T2 = ky

Now the pulley, the net torque is given by:

τ = Iα = RxF
R(T1 - T2) = Iα
R(T1 - ky) = I [itex]\ddot{θ}[/itex]
R(mg + ma - ky) = I [itex]\ddot{θ}[/itex]

Now, a = αR, and y=θR

Rmg - R2m[itex]\ddot{θ}[/itex] - R2kθ = I [itex]\ddot{θ}[/itex]
R(mg - Rkθ) = [itex]\ddot{θ}[/itex] (I + R2m)
R(mg - Rkθ) = [itex]\ddot{θ}[/itex] (1/2R2M+ R2m)

This equation does have an acceleration in terms of a displacement, so it looks better, but it hasn't taken me anywhere near the wanted result.Any and all hints greatly appreciated. I'm completely stuck and beginning to hate this problem.

Thank you all.
 
Last edited:
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  • #2
Anavra said:
So here it goes:

A block of mass m is attached to a vertical spring by a rope hanging over a pulley (I = 1/2 MR2). The pulley has a mass M and a radius R. The rope does not slip and does not stretch.

Show that the angular frequency of oscillation is ω = [itex]\frac{2k}{M+m}[/itex]
OIKW85X.png


By Newton's second Law,

For the mass:
T1 - mg = ma

For the point between the rope and the spring, it's thought of as mass-less, so to stop it from having an infinite acceleration from any net force:

T2 = ky

Now the pulley, the net torque is given by:

τ = Iα = RxF
R(T1 - T2) = Iα
R(T1 - ky) = I [itex]\ddot{θ}[/itex]
R(mg + ma - ky) = I [itex]\ddot{θ}[/itex]

Now, a = αR, and y=θR

Rmg - R2m[itex]\ddot{θ}[/itex] - R2kθ = I [itex]\ddot{θ}[/itex]
R(mg - Rkθ) = [itex]\ddot{θ}[/itex] (I + R2m)
R(mg - Rkθ) = [itex]\ddot{θ}[/itex] (1/2R2M+ R2m)

This equation does have an acceleration in terms of a displacement, so it looks better, but it hasn't taken me anywhere near the wanted result.Any and all hints greatly appreciated. I'm completely stuck and beginning to hate this problem.

Thank you all.

The equation is that of a harmonic oscillator, with a constant force applied also on it. You can simplify by R and it would look simpler with a variable of length dimension x=Rθ. Try the solution in the form x=Asin(ωt)+B. The angular frequency you quoted is not correct, however.

ehild
 

Related to Spring - Pulley - Mass system. Proving omega is a certain value

1. What is a spring-pulley-mass system?

A spring-pulley-mass system is a physical model used to study the behavior of a mass attached to a spring and a pulley. The mass is free to move vertically and is pulled by the spring and guided by the pulley. This system is commonly used in physics experiments to demonstrate concepts such as simple harmonic motion and oscillation.

2. How does a spring-pulley-mass system work?

In this system, the mass is attached to one end of a spring, and the other end of the spring is attached to a fixed point. The mass is also connected to a pulley, which guides its movement. When the mass is pulled down, the spring stretches, and when it is released, the spring recoils, causing the mass to oscillate up and down.

3. What is omega in a spring-pulley-mass system?

Omega, represented by the Greek letter Ω, is the angular frequency of oscillation in a spring-pulley-mass system. It is a measure of how fast the mass is oscillating, and it is directly related to the period of oscillation (T) and the mass-spring constant (k) by the equation Ω = √(k/m), where m is the mass of the object attached to the spring.

4. How can we prove omega is a certain value in a spring-pulley-mass system?

To prove that omega is a certain value in a spring-pulley-mass system, we need to measure the period of oscillation (T) and the mass-spring constant (k) of the system. We can then use the equation Ω = √(k/m) to calculate the angular frequency. This value can then be compared to the expected value based on the physical characteristics of the system.

5. What factors affect the value of omega in a spring-pulley-mass system?

The value of omega in a spring-pulley-mass system is affected by the mass attached to the spring, the stiffness of the spring (represented by the spring constant k), and the length of the spring. As the mass or spring stiffness increases, omega also increases. However, as the length of the spring increases, the value of omega decreases.

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