# Time period of two blocks

1 vote
44 views

For the system shown in the figure initially spnngs are in natural length (natural length
of both are same). Two blocks ‘A’ and 'B’ of equal mass 'M' are released from rest
simultaneously The contact between the string and pulley is frictionless and pulley is
fixed. The masses of string and springs are negligible. How the time period of oscillation of both blocks are same.

In this force in both springs would be always same .
That is kx$_1$ =2kx$_2$ .

But now how can we comment on their time period .com

Have you written and solved the equations of motion?

Do you think periods will be the same or different for the 2 masses? Why?
http://i.imgur.com/lFXdEe2.gif
Don't know how to write equation of motion in spring.

1 vote

The question states that the pulley is frictionless and fixed but not that it is massless. I think the latter (fixed) must be a mistake : the pulley must be free to rotate, in order to get the result that the blocks have the same period. We must also assume that the pulley is massless. Then tension in the string and springs is always the same on both sides of the pulley, as is the case when there is string but no springs.

The masses are equal and the tensions acting on them are equal, so the acceleration must also be equal : $m\ddot x=mg-T$ (taking down as +ve for both masses). Both masses have the same equation of motion, so the oscillation frequency and period is the same.

It is tempting to write $T=kx_1=2kx_2$ where $x_1, x_2$ are the position co-ordinates of the masses. Then we seem to have different equations of motion and different frequencies :
$\ddot x_1+\frac{k}{m}x_1=g$
$\ddot x_2+\frac{2k}{m}x_2=g$.
However, this is incorrect. It assumes that the upper ends of the springs are fixed in position. They are not. The pulley turns freely. Then some of the larger extension of spring 1 is transferred smoothly and instantaneously to the other side, compensating for the smaller extension of spring 2. Therefore the extension of spring 1 is not equal to the displacement of mass 1, and likewise for spring 2/mass 2.

The masses are released at the same time, and the above mechanism keeps the lower ends of the springs always level, where the masses are attached. So the masses oscillate in phase.

It is a little more difficult to anticipate what happens if the masses are not released at the same time...

answered Feb 13, 2017 by (28,746 points)
selected Mar 8, 2017 by koolman
Can we say bot the springs have same acceleration at any instant ,so the time period is also same .
The accelerations of the *blocks* are the same, therefore their periods are the same. Different parts of the springs accelerate at different rates, because they expand.