14.13 Figure 14.26 (a) shows a spring of force constant k clamped rigidly at one end and a mass m attached to its free end. A force F applied at the free end stretches the spring. Figure 14.26 (b) shows the same spring with both ends free and attached to a mass m at either end. Each end of the spring in Fig. 14.26(b) is stretched by the same force F.
(a) What is the maximum extension of the spring in the two cases ?
(b) If the mass in Fig. (a) and the two masses in Fig. (b) are released, what is the period of oscillation in each case ?
(a) For figure (a) : When a force F is applied to the free end of the spring, an extension l is produced. For the maximum extension, it can be written as:
F – kl, where k is the spring constant.
For maximum =extension of the spring, l =
For figure (b): The displacement (x) produced in this case is x =