Why does the period of the pendulum not depend on the mass but the period of a mass on a spring does depend on the mass?

The period of oscillation of a simple pendulum does not depend on the mass of the bob. Since the mass factors into both the cause of changing motion and the resistance to changing motion, it cancels out. For a mass-spring system, the mass still affects the inertia, but it does not cause the force.

Why does mass not affect amplitude of a spring?

The increase in force proportionally increases the acceleration of the mass, so the mass moves through a greater distance in the same amount of time. Thus, increasing the amplitude has no net effect on the period of the oscillation.

Why does the spring force on the mass equal its weight in equilibrium?

When a mass is hung vertically from a spring, the spring stretches. The force on the mass due to the spring is proportional to the amount the spring is stretched. There is a point at which the spring force and the weight are equal in magnitude but opposite in direction. This point is called the equilibrium position.

Why does mass affect the period of a spring?

Period of a Mass on a Spring And springs with a greater spring constant (stiffer springs) have a smaller period; masses attached to these springs take less time to complete a cycle. Their greater spring constant means they exert stronger restoring forces upon the attached mass.

Why doesn’t mass affect a simple pendulum?

The mass of the bob does not affect the period of a pendulum because (as Galileo discovered and Newton explained), the mass of the bob is being accelerated toward the ground at a constant rate — the gravitational constant, g.

Does pendulum period depend on mass?

The period of a pendulum does not depend on the mass of the ball, but only on the length of the string. Two pendula with different masses but the same length will have the same period. Two pendula with different lengths will different periods; the pendulum with the longer string will have the longer period.

How does mass affect amplitude spring?

The amplitude of a spring-block system should depend on the block’s mass looking at the conservation of energy equation for SHM. Mass is directly proportional to amplitude.

How does mass affect the amplitude of a pendulum?

(Mass does not affect the pendulum’s swing. The longer the length of string, the farther the pendulum falls; and therefore, the longer the period, or back and forth swing of the pendulum. The greater the amplitude, or angle, the farther the pendulum falls; and therefore, the longer the period.)

Does the spring constant change with mass?

No, the mass of the spring does not affect the spring constant.