Final answer:
The object that moves in simple harmonic motion is the stretched rubber band with an attached mass, which mimics a spring system on a frictionless surface following Hooke's law. The correct option is option a.
Step-by-step explanation:
The concept we are exploring here is simple harmonic motion (SHM), which is a type of periodic oscillatory motion that systems like springs and pendulums exhibit when they are displaced from their equilibrium position. An object moves in simple harmonic motion if, when displaced from an equilibrium position, it experiences a restoring force proportional to the displacement as described by Hooke's law. According to the information provided, a stretched rubber band with an attached mass can be considered a simple harmonic oscillator if the conditions represent the system being on a frictionless surface and the stretching and release of the rubber band with the mass attached mimic the behavior of a spring that follows Hooke's law.
Moreover, the oscillatory motion has a specific amplitude, marked as X, and a period T, which is the time it takes for one complete cycle of motion. The greatest speed of the oscillating mass occurs as it passes through the equilibrium position. Factors such as the stiffness of the spring and the mass of the object influence the period T; a stiffer spring results in a smaller period, while a greater mass leads to a longer period. Every day examples like a child's swing or a pendulum in an old-fashioned clock also follow simple harmonic motion for small displacements.