User's Manual

Model No. ME-9452 Experiment 3: Simple Harmonic Oscillator

3. Using the mass of the cart and the spring constant, calculate the theoretical period

of the cart alone and with added mass.

theoretical period of cart alone ________________

theoretical period of cart with added mass ________________

Experimental Period

1. Using the data in Table 3.2, calculate the average time for 5 oscillations with and

without the 500 g mass in the cart.

2. Calculate the period by dividing these average times by 5 and record the periods

in Table 3.2.

Comparison

Calculate the percent difference between the measured and theoretical values:

cart alone percent difference = ________________

cart with added mass percent difference = ________________

Questions

1. Does the period of oscillation increase or decrease as the mass is increases? Does

a more massive cart oscillate faster or slower?

2. If the initial displacement from equilibrium (the amplitude) is changed, does the

period of oscillation change? Try it.

Table 3.2: Experimental Data

Trial Time for 5

Oscillations

Period

1 period of cart without added mass

Average

1 period of cart with 500 g added mass

Average