A and B blocks worked on a lab that examined the sine curve traced out by an object oscillating with simple harmonic motion. We used a mass-spring system and saw how the motion was very nicely described by a sine function. We also took time to examine damped harmonic motion, where friction is a significant factor in the oscillation. A Block finished the lab and B Block will finish tomorrow. Some ideas for your conclusion:
- What is simple harmonic motion? Did the mass-spring system demonstrate this type of motion? What evidence can you use to support your argument?
- Did amplitude of oscillation impact the period of the oscillation? Should it or shouldn't it? What evidence can you use to support your argument?
- What is damped harmonic motion? Does this violate the law of conservation of energy? Explain your answer.
Intro Physics reviewed their MCAS Heat packages and got some tips for approaching both multiple choice and open-response MCAS questions. Then, folks were assigned a short essay to reflect on clothing choice by season. We'll go over these tomorrow and continue our review for Friday's exam.
Honors Physics discussed harmonic series and beats. Harmonics, the integral multiples of a fundamental frequency, give robustness to a sound and we'll look at them tomorrow in lab. Make sure you can calculate the frequencies for members of a harmonic series for vibrating strings/pipes open at both ends and pipes closed at one end. We'll be reviewing our work with sound on Thursday and having our exam on Friday.
