Vibrations and Waves MP205, Assignment 4 Solutions

1. Verify that x = Aet cos t is a possible solution of the equation

d2 x
dx
+
+ 02 x = 0,
2
dt
dt
and find and in terms of and 0 . [20]
Given x = Aet cos t we differentiate it using the product rule to find its first and second derivatives
[20]
dx
= Aet sin(t) Aet cos(t)
dt
d2 x
= 2 Aet cos(t) + Aet sin(t) + Aet sin(t) + 2 Aet cos(t)
dt2
= (2 2 )Aet cos(t) + 2Aet sin(t)
To show its a solution we sub these derivatives back into the original equation to obtain
(2 2 )Aet cos(t) + 2Aet sin(t) Aet sin(t) Aet cos(t)
+ 02 Aet cos(t) = 0
(2 2 + 02 )Aet cos(t) + (2 )Aet sin(t) = 0
For this to be true for all values of t the coefficients of the cosine and sine functions must be 0. This
means we must have that:
2 2 + 02 = 0

(1)

2 = 0

(2)

Looking first at (2):

2 = 0

=
2
And using this in (1):
2 2 + 02 = 0

2
2 + 02 = 0
4
2
2
2 + 02
=0
4
2
2 = 02
4
r
=
So x =

Aet cos t

is a solution when =

and =

02
02

2
4

2
4 .

* 2. An object of mass 0.2 kg is hung from a spring whose spring constant is 80 N/m. The
object is subject to a resistive force given by bv, where v is its velocity in meters per
second.
(a) Set up the differential equation of motion for free oscillations of the system.

(b) If the damped frequency is

the constant b?

3/2 of the undamped frequency, what is the value of

(c) What is the Q of the system?

(d) After 2 seconds, what does the average energy decay to? (in terms of the initial
average energy)
(a) We have a damped oscillator where the damping term is bv. So the sum of the forces is
F = kx bv. By Newtons second law the sum of the forces must equal ma so we have
ma = kx bv.
ma + bv + kx = 0
d2 x
dx
+b
+ kx = 0
2
dt
dt
b dx
d2 x
k
+
+ x=0
2
dt
m dt
m
d2 x
dx
+
+ 02 x = 0
dt2
dt
m

p
where = b/m and 0 = k/m.
Using our values for m and k from the question we can write:
b
b
=
m
0.2
r
r

k
80
0 =
=
= 400 = 20
m
0.2
=

(b) 0 is the undamped

angular frequency and is the damped angular frequency. We have the

relation = 3/20 .
From the previous question we know that 2 = 02 2 /4. Therefore
3 2
= 02 2 /4
4 0
b
0 = =
m
b = 0 m = 20(0.2) = 4
(c) Q is given by the ratio of the constants 0 /.

Q=

0
20
=
=1

20

(d)
=E
0 et
E(t)
= 0 = 20

0 e(20)(2)
E(2)
=E
0
= 4.25 1018 E
3. A pendulum on which an object of mass 15g swings with natural angular frequency
0 = 20rads1 . The object is subject to a resistive force given by 0.48v, where v is its
velocity in meters per second.

(a) Set up, with explanations, the differential equation of motion for free oscillations of
the system. [10]
(b) Find the damped frequency.[10]
(c) What is the Q of the system? [5]
(a) The force on the mass is given by:
F = bv kx
where bv is the resistive force, and kx is the force due to SHM. Using F = ma we can rewrite
this as:
ma + 0.48v + kx = 0
d2 x

dx
+ kx = 0
dt
0.48 dx
k
d2 x
+
+
x=0
2
dt
0.015 dt
0.015
m

We know 0 =

dt2

+ 0.48

k
m:

d2 x
dx
+ 32
+ 02 x = 0
2
dt
dt
dx
d2 x
+ 32
+ 400x = 0
2
dt
dt
(b)
r

2
02
4
r
1024
= 400
4

= 400 256

= 144

= 12
(c)
Q=

0
20
=
= 0.625

32

4. Many oscillatory systems, although the loss or dissipation mechanism is not analogous to
viscous damping, show an exponential decrease in their stored average energy with time
=E
0 et . A Q for such oscillators may be defined using the definition Q = 0 , where 0
E

is the natural angular frequency.

(a) When the note middle C on the piano is struck, its energy of oscillation decreases
to one half its initial value in about 1 sec. The frequency of middle C is 256 Hz.
What is the Q of the system? [10]
(b) If the note an octave higher (512 Hz) takes about the same time for its energy to
decay, what is its Q? [10]
(c) A free, damped harmonic oscillator, consisting of a mass m = 0.1kg moving in a
viscous liquid of damped coefficient b (Fviscous = bv), and attached to a spring of
spring constant k = 0.9N m1 , is observed as it performs oscillatory motion. Its
average energy decays to 1e of its initial value in 4 sec. What is the Q of the oscillator?
What is the value of b? [10]

=E
0 et .
(a) We know that E
Using this:
=E
0 et
E
after 1 second; t = 1 we have:
0
E
0 e(1)
=E
2
1
= e
2
 
1
=
2


ln 21 =
ln

ln (2) =
= ln(2) = 0.69
To find Q we also need to find 0
0 =

2
= 2f = 2(256) = 512
T

Now we can use Q = 0/

Q=

0
512
=
= 2331.15

0.69

(b) Our change in energy is the same so we still have = 0.69

00 = 2f 0 = 2(512) = 2(256)(2) = 2(2f ) = 2(2f )
where f is the frequency from part (a), this gives us:
00 = 20
Using this we can find our Q0 for this note:
Q0 =

00
0
=2
= 2Q = 2(1331.15) = 4662.3

=E
0 et .
(c) To find b, we know that E
Using this:
=E
0 et
E
after 4 seconds; t = 4 we have:
0
E
0 e(4)
=E
e
0 e1 = E
0 e(4)
E
1 = 4
1
=
4
Using = b/m:
1
b
=
4
m
m
0.1
b=
=
= 0.025
4
4
To find Q:
0
Q=
=

k 1
=
m

0.9 1
= 94 = 3(4) = 12
0.1 1/4

5. A U-tube has vertical arms of radii r and 2r, connected by a horizontal tube of length `
whose radius increases linearly from r to 2r. The U-tube contains liquid up to a height h
in each arm. The liquid is set oscillating, and at a given instant the liquid in the narrower
arm is a distance y above the equilibrium level.

*(a) Show that the potential energy of the liquid is given by U = 58 gr2 y 2 .
*(b) Show that the kinetic energy of a small slice of liquid in the horizontal arm (see the
diagram) is given by
 2
1
r2 dx
dy
.
dK =
2
2 (1 + x/`)
dt
(Note that, if liquid is not to pile up anywhere, the product velocity cross section
must have the same value everywhere along the tube.)
(c) Using the result of part (b), show that the total kinetic energy of all the moving
liquid is given by [15]
 2
1
5
dy
2
K = r (` + h)
.
4
2
dt
(Ignore any nastiness at the corners.)
(d) From (a) and (c) calculate the period of oscillations of ` = 5h/2. [10]
(a) Potential energy is U = mgh.
Potential energy is given by U = mgh (this is the energy required to move a mass m a distance h).
Lets call the narrow column I and the wider column II, and say we push the liquid down a distance
y on side I. We want to get the potential energy on both sides and get the average to get the total
potential energy.
The potential energy on I is then UI = mgy
As no liquid is displaced we know that the liquid will go up on side II - but since both sides have
different radii well have to work out how much it will go up by - lets call it y 0 .
The volume of the displaced liquid will be the same on both sides:
VI = Ay = r2 y
VII = A0 y 0 = (2r)2 y 0 = 4r2 y 0
VI = VII r2 y = 4r2 y 0
y
y0 =
4
Then the potential energy on side II is U2 = mgy 0 =
sides is the same)
U=

mgy
4 .

mgy +
UI + UII
=
2
2

(note: the mass of liquid displaced on both

mgy
4

5
= mgy
8

Finally, we can write the mass of the liquid displaced as m = V where is the liquid density and V
is the volume of the liquid displaced. From above we know V = r2 y, this gives us:
5
5
U = mgy = V gy
8
8
5
= (r2 y)gy
8
5
= gr2 y 2
8
(b)
Looking at a small slice of liquid in the horizontal arm, we can write its kinetic energy as:
 2
1
dx
1
2
dK = mv = Ax dx
2
2
dt
Were told velocity cross-section is constant, so we can write:
dy
dx
= Ay
Ax
dt
dt
Where:
Ax dx
dt is on the bottom
Ay dy
dt is in column I
In column I the cross-section is constant along the column so we can just write Ay = r2 .
Its a bit more complicated on the bottom, where the cross-section Ax depends on the distance x we
are from column I. If we look at the bottom (and ignore the nastiness at the corners) we can draw:

rx2

dx
dy
= r2
dt
dt
dx
r2 dy
= 2
dt
rx dt

We need to work out rx , which we can do by looking at the angle ,

r
r0
=
l
x
rx
0
r =
l

tan =


rx
x
+r =r 1+
l
l
dx
r2
dy
=

2
dt
r2 1 + xl dt
1
dy
=


2
1 + xl dt

x 2 dy
= 1+
l
dt

2
x
Ax = r2 1 +
l
rx = r0 + r =

So we can write dK as:

 2
1
dx
dK = Ax dx
2
dt



1
x 2
x 2 dy 2
= r2 1 +
dx
1+
2
l
l
dt
 2




1
x 4 dy
x 2
= r2 1 +
dx 1 +
2
l
l
dt


2

1
x 2 dy
= r2 dx 1 +
2
l
dt


2
1 r2 dx
dy
=


2 1 + x 2 dt
l
(c) Use kinetic energy is (1/2)mv 2 for columns (I) and (II) and integrate answer of part (b) for x = 0
to x = ` to find kinetic energy of liquid in horizontal arm. (note: the m here is the mass of the
liquid in each arm up to a height h - it is not the same in each arm.)
For column (I), x = 0 so velocity all in y direction.
 2
 2
1
1
dy
dy
1
2
2
2
= r h
KEI = mv = r h
2
2
dt
2
dt
Similarly for column (II), except we know that when column I goes through a distance dy column II
I
goes through a distance 14 dy: (You can also prove that dydtII = 14 dy
dt using that the cross sectional area
times the velocity is constant everywhere.)


1
1
1 dy 2
KEII = mv 2 = 4r2 h
2
2
4 dt
 2
1
dy
= r2 h
8
dt
To find KE of liquid in horizontal arm we integrate answer part (b) from x = 0 to x = `, that is
 2 Z `
 2
Z `
1
dy
dx
1
dy
2
KEIII =
dK = r2
=
r
`
2
2
dt
(1
+
x/`)
4
dt
0
0
Total KE is KEI + KEII + KEIII , which is
 2
 2
 2
1
dy
1
dy
1
dy
2
2
2
KE = r h
+ r h
+ r `
2
dt
8
dt
4
dt

  2
dy
1
5h
= r2 ` +
4
2
dt
(d) Use answers to parts (a) and (c) to find the total energy, the sum of potential and kinetic.
1
E = KE + P E = m
2

dx
dt

2

1
+ kx2
2

We have from parts (a) and (c) that


  2
1
5h
dy
5
2
E = KE + P E = r ` +
+ gr2 y 2
4
2
dt
8
"

  2 #


1 1
5h
dy
1 5
=
r2 ` +
+
gr2 y 2
2 2
2
dt
2 4

So clearly m = (1/2)r2 (` + 5h/2) and k = (5/4)gr2 , so

s
r
r
k
5g/4
g
=
=
=
m
(1/2)(` + 5h/2)
2h
when ` = 5h/2. This also means that the period T is
2
T =
= 2

2h
.
g