CHAPTER PRACTICE PROBLEMS

PHYSICS
Topic – Simple Harmonic Motion- 4
Level – I
1. How will the frequency of small oscillation of a simple pendulum change:
(i) a point of suspension moves horizontally in the plane of oscillation with acceleration a.
(ii) if it moves vertically upward with an acceleration 'a'.
(iii) if it moves vertically down with acceleration a < g.

2. A uniform square lamina of side 2a is hung up by one corner and oscillates

in its own plane which is vertical. Find the length of the equivalent
simple pendulum.

3. A block is on a horizontal slab which is moving horizontally with a simple

harmonic motion of frequency two oscillations per second. The coefficient of static friction between
block and slab is 0.50. How great can the amplitude be if the block does not slip along the slab?

4. Determine the period of small oscillations of a pendulum, that is a ball suspended by a thread l= 20 cm
in length, if it is located in a liquid whose density is η = 3.0 times less than that of the ball. The
resistance of the liquid is to be neglected.

5. A thin uniform plate shaped as an equilateral triangle with a height h performs small oscillations about
the horizontal axis coinciding with one of its sides. Find the oscillation period and the reduced length of
the given pendulum.

6. Two pendulums have time periods T and 5T/4. They start SHM at the same time from the mean
position. After how many oscillations of the smaller pendulum they will be again in the same phase.

7. The maximum tension in the string of an oscillating pendulum is double of the minimum tension. Find
the angular amplitude.

8. A simple pendulum fixed in a car has a time period of 4 seconds when the car is moving uniformly on a
horizontal road. When the accelerator is pressed, the time period changes to 3.99 seconds. Making an
approximate analysis, find the acceleration of the car.

Level – I
1. (a) A bob of a simple pendulum executes SHM in water with a period T, while the period of oscillation
4
of the bob is To in air. If ρbob = x1000 kg/m³, then develop a relationship between T and To
3
(b) The time period of a simple pendulum in a stationary lift is 3√3 s. If lift now accelerates upward
with an acceleration of (g/2) ms-2, calculate the new time period of the pendulum.

2. A physical pendulum performs small oscillations about the horizontal axis with frequency ω₁ = 15.0 s-¹.
When a small body of mass m = 50g is fixed to the pendulum at a distance I = 20 cm below the axis, the
oscillation frequency becomes equal to ω2 = 10.0 s-¹. Find the moment of inertia of the pendulum
relative to the oscillation axis.

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3. A ball is suspended by a thread of length l at the point O on the wall, forming a
small angle α with the vertical. Then the thread with the ball was deviated through O
a small angle 𝛽 (𝛽 > α) and set free. Assuming the collision of the ball against the
wall to be perfectly elastic, find the oscillation period of such a pendulum.

4. A physical pendulum is positioned so that its centre of gravity is above the suspension point. From that
position the pendulum started moving toward the stable equilibrium and passed it with an angular
velocity ω. Neglecting the friction find the period of small oscillations of the pendulum.

5. A horizontal platform with a block of mass m placed on it is executing SHM along a vertical line. The
amplitude of oscillation is 0.25 cm. What should be the maximum frequency of oscillation of the
platform, if the block is not to be detached from the platform? (take g = 10 m/s² and π² = 10)

6. A ring of diameter 2 m oscillates as a compound pendulum about a horizontal axis passing through a
point at its rim. It oscillates such that its centre moves in a plane which is perpendicular to the plane of
the ring. Find the equivalent length of the simple pendulum.

7. A simple pendulum of length l is suspended from the ceiling of a car moving with a speed v on a
circular horizontal road of radius r. (a) Find the tension in the string when it is at rest with respect to the
car. (b) Find the time period of small oscillation.

8. The angular frequency of a spring block system is ωo. This system is suspended from the ceiling of an
elevator moving downwards with a constant speed vo. The block is at rest relative to the elevator. Lift is
suddenly stopped. Assuming the downwards as a positive direction, choose the wrong statement:
𝑣
(A) The amplitude of the block is 𝜔0
0
(B) The initial phase of the block is π.
𝑣0
(C) The equation of motion for the block is sin𝜔0 t
𝜔0
(D) The maximum speed of the block is vo

Paragraph
A pendulum is formed by pivoting a long thin rod of length L and mass m about a
point P on the rod which is a distance d above the center of the rod as shown.
Now answer the following questions. P
d

9. The time period of this pendulum when d = L/2 will be

2𝑙 3𝑙
(A) 2π √3g (B) 2π √2g
𝑙 2𝜋 2𝑙
(C) 4π √3g (D) 3
√g

10. As d changes from L/2 to zero

(A) Time period increases continuously (B) Time period decreases continuously
(C) Time period first increases then decrease (D) Time period first decreases then increase

11. Time period will be minimum when d is equal to

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 𝐿 𝐿
(A) √12 (B) √6
(C) L/4 (D) L/2

Answers
Level I
1. (i) increases, (ii) increases, (iii) decreases
4√2
2. 𝑎
3
3. 3.1 𝑐𝑚
4. T=1.1 s
5. h/2
6. 5
7. Cos-1(3/4)
8. g/10

Level II
1. (a) T=2T0 , (b) 3√2sec
2. l = 0.8g.m2
3. T=2√l/g[𝜋/2 + 𝑎𝑟𝑐𝑠𝑖𝑛(𝛼/𝛽)]
4. T=4π/ω
5. 10s-1
6. 1.5m
𝑙 𝑣 4 1/2
7. (a) ma, (b) 2π√𝛼 where α [𝑔2 + 𝑟2
]
8. B
9. A
10. D
11. A

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