Chapter 13: Problem 49
Derive the period of a simple pendulum by considering the horizontal displacement \(x\) and the force acting on the bob, rather than the angular displacement and torque.
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Chapter 13: Problem 49
Derive the period of a simple pendulum by considering the horizontal displacement \(x\) and the force acting on the bob, rather than the angular displacement and torque.
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A simple model for a variable star considers that the outer layer of the star is subject to two forces: the inward force of gravity and the outward force due to gas pressure. As a result, Newton's law for the star's outer layer reads \(m d^{2} r / d t^{2}=4 \pi r^{2} p-G M m / r^{2} .\) Here \(m\) is the mass of the outer layer, \(M\) is the total mass of the star, \(r\) is the star's radius, and \(p\) is the pressure. (a) Use this equation to show that the star's equilibrium pressure and radius are related by \(p_{0}=G M m / 4 \pi r_{0}^{4},\) where the subscript 0 represents equilibrium values. (b) As you'll learn in Chapter 18 , gas pressure and volume \(V\left(=\frac{4}{3} \pi r^{3}\right)\) are related by \(p V^{3 / 3}=p_{0} V_{0}^{5 / 3}\) (this is for an adiabatic process, a good approximation here, and the exponent \(5 / 3\) reflects the ionized gas that makes up the star). Let \(x=r-r_{0}\) be the displacement of the star's surface from equilibrium. Use the binomial approximation (Appendix A) to show that, when \(x\) is small compared with \(r,\) the righthand side of the above equation can be written \(-\left(G M m / r_{0}^{3}\right) x\) (c) since \(r\) and \(x\) differ only by a constant, the term \(d^{2}\) r/dt \(^{2}\) in the equation above can also be written \(d^{2} x / d t^{2} .\) Make this substitution, along with substituting the result of part (b) for the right- hand side, and compare your result with Equations 13.2 and 13.7 to find an expression for the oscillation period of the star. (d) What does your simple model predict for the period of the variable star Delta Cephei, with radius 44.5 times that of the Sun and mass of 4.5 Sun masses? (Your answer overestimates the actual period by a factor of about \(3,\) both because of oversimplified physics and because changes in the star's radius are too large for the assumption of a linear restoring force.)
Why is critical damping desirable in a car's suspension?
A mass \(m\) is free to slide on a friction-less track whose height \(y\) as a function of horizontal position \(x\) is \(y=a x^{2},\) where \(a\) is a constant with units of inverse length. The mass is given an initial displacement from the bottom of the track and then released. Find an expression for the period of the resulting motion.
The protein dyeing powers the flagella that propel some unicellular organisms. Biophysicists have found that dyeing is intrinsically oscillatory, and that it exerts peak forces of about \(1.0 \mathrm{pN}\) when it attaches to structures called micro-tubules. The resulting oscillations have amplitude \(15 \mathrm{nm}\). (a) If this system is modeled as a mass-spring system, what's the associated spring constant? (b) If the oscillation frequency is \(70 \mathrm{Hz}\), what's the effective mass?
A hummingbird's wings vibrate at about \(45 \mathrm{Hz}\). What's the corresponding period?
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