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Engineering Application: A suspension bridge oscillates with an effective force constant of (1.00 X 10^8 N/m). (a) How much energy is needed to make it oscillate with an amplitude of (0.100 m)? (b) If soldiers march across the bridge with a cadence equal to the bridge’s natural frequency and impart (1.00 X 10^4 J) of energy each second, how long does it take for the bridge’s oscillations to go from (0.100 m) to (0.500 m) amplitude?

a) (5.00 X 10^6 J)
b) (4.00 s)
c) (6.00 s)
d) (8.00 s)

1 Answer

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Final answer:

The energy needed to make the suspension bridge oscillate with an amplitude of 0.100 m is 5.00 × 10^6 J. The time it takes for the bridge's oscillations to go from 0.100 m to 0.500 m amplitude is not affected by the energy imparted by the soldiers marching.

Step-by-step explanation:

(a) Energy calculation:

The energy needed to make the suspension bridge oscillate with an amplitude of 0.100 m can be calculated using the formula for the potential energy of a spring:

Potential Energy = (1/2) * k * A^2

where k is the effective force constant (1.00 × 10^8 N/m) and A is the amplitude (0.100 m).

Plugging in the values:

Potential Energy = (1/2) * (1.00 × 10^8 N/m) * (0.100 m)^2

Potential Energy = 5.00 × 10^6 J

Therefore, the energy needed to make the suspension bridge oscillate with an amplitude of 0.100 m is 5.00 × 10^6 J.

(b) Time calculation:

To calculate the time it takes for the bridge's oscillations to go from 0.100 m to 0.500 m amplitude, we can use the formula for the period of oscillation:

Period = 2π * √(m/k)

where m is the mass of the bridge (not given) and k is the effective force constant (1.00 × 10^8 N/m).

Since the effective force constant and natural frequency are the same, soldiers marching across the bridge with a cadence equal to the bridge's natural frequency and imparting 1.00 × 10^4 J of energy each second would not change the time it takes for the bridge's oscillations to change amplitude.

Therefore, the time it takes for the bridge's oscillations to go from 0.100 m to 0.500 m amplitude is not affected by the energy imparted by the soldiers marching.

Answer Summary:

The energy needed to make the suspension bridge oscillate with an amplitude of 0.100 m is 5.00 × 10^6 J. The time it takes for the bridge's oscillations to go from 0.100 m to 0.500 m amplitude is not affected by the energy imparted by the soldiers marching.

User Holger Peine
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