DP IB Physics: SL

Topic Questions

Syllabus Edition

First teaching 2014

Last exams 2024

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4.1 Oscillations

1
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1 mark

Identify the incorrect statement about the displacement of an object oscillating in simple harmonic motion.

  • Displacement is a vector quantity

  • Displacement and velocity act in opposite directions

  • Displacement is proportional to the restoring force

  • Displacement is proportional to acceleration

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2
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1 mark

Identify the true statement about phase difference.

  • Phase difference must be calculated from the crest of one wave to the crest on another wave

  • When the same points on two different waves align, the waves are in anti-phase

  • Phase difference is a measure of how much one point on a wave is in front or behind a different point on another wave

  • Waves in phase have a phase difference of 2π radians

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3
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1 mark

Select the graph that shows the oscillation beginning at positive amplitude x0.

4-1-q3-sl-easy-mcq-phy

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4
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1 mark

The total energy E T in system in simple harmonic motion reflects the energy transfers between the kinetic energy E K store and the potential energy E P store.

Identify the correct equation for the total energy of a system in simple harmonic motion.

  • ET = EPEK

  • ET = EP × EK

  • ET E subscript straight K over E subscript straight P

  • ET = EPEK

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5
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1 mark

Select the position on the acceleration-time graph where displacement x = 0

4-1-q5

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6
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1 mark

Identify the statement that is not a condition of simple harmonic motion.

  • The restoring force is directed toward the amplitude x0

  • Acceleration is directed toward the equilibrium position

  • The oscillations are isochronous

  • The magnitude of the restoring force is proportional to the displacement

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7
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1 mark

Choose the graph that shows an oscillation beginning at equilibrium.

4-1-q7-sl-easy-mcq-phy

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8
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1 mark

Identify the correct equation for time period T with respect to frequency f.

  • T1 halfπf

  • T 1 over f

  • T1 halff

  • T = f

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9
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1 mark

Select the position on the displacement-time graph that shows when the velocity is zero.

4-1-q9-sl-easy-mcq-phy

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10
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1 mark

As a mass-spring system oscillates in simple harmonic motion, the restoring force F is proportional to the displacement x.

F = −kx

Choose the line that shows the correct units for each quantity.

 

Force F

Spring constant k

Displacement x

A.

N

N m−1

m

B.

Nm

N

m2

C.

N m−1 Nm ml

D.

N

N kg−1

m

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1
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1 mark

When an object oscillates in simple harmonic motion, a restoring force acts toward the equilibrium position.

Which graph shows the restoring force, F, as a function of displacement, x?

4-1-sl-mcq-hard-q1-phy

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2
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1 mark

The graph below shows the displacement as a function of time for a particle in SHM.

4-1-sl-mcq-hard-q2-phy

At certain points in the oscillation, the acceleration and velocity act in opposite directions. 

Which letter indicates such a point?

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3
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1 mark

A mass is attached to a spring from above and the spring is secured to a clamp. The mass is pulled down and released resulting in a simple harmonic oscillation. 

Which one of the following statements is true?

  • The tension, T, in the spring is at a minimum as the mass passes through the equilibrium position 

  • The total potential energy, EP, in the system is at a maximum when the mass is at the highest point of its oscillation

  • The acceleration, a, of the mass is at a maximum as it passes through the equilibrium position

  • The kinetic energy, EK, is at a minimum when the mass is at the lowest point in its oscillation

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4
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1 mark

A pendulum bob on a string oscillates in SHM with a frequency, f

The period, T, of a simple pendulum is related to the length of the string, l, and the acceleration of free fall, g, by the following equation:

 T space equals space 2 straight pi square root of l over g end root

What would the ratio be of the original frequency to the new frequency if the length of the string was increased by a factor of 4?

  • fraction numerator 1 over denominator square root of 2 end fraction

  • 1 half

  • square root of 2

  • 4

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5
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1 mark

A simple pendulum oscillates in SHM.

9-1-hl-mcq-medium-m10-question-stem

Which row correctly describes the force, F, acceleration, a, and velocity, v, at position Y?

 

Force

Acceleration

Velocity

A.

zero

zero

max

B.

max

max

zero

C.

max zero max

D.

zero

max

zero

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6
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1 mark

The total energy, ET, of a mass-spring system in SHM is related to the mass, m, angular speed, ω, and the amplitude, A, by the following equation:

 E subscript T space equals space 1 half m omega squared A squared

What is the ratio of the original amplitude to the new amplitude if the mass is reduced by a factor of 4 and the angular speed is halved?

  • 1 half

  • 1

  • fraction numerator 1 over denominator square root of 8 end fraction

  • 4

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7
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1 mark

A mass spring system is set up so that the mass glides on a frictionless surface between two springs on a horizontal bench. The mass-spring system performs SHM

Which of the following statements is true?

  • As the mass oscillates about the equilibrium position, the kinetic energy of the mass is zero when the displacement from equilibrium is zero

  • As the mass oscillates about the equilibrium position, the kinetic energy of the mass is zero when the restoring force acting on the mass is zero

  • As the mass oscillates about the equilibrium position, the potential energy of the spring is at a maximum when the kinetic energy of the mass is zero

  • As the mass oscillates about the equilibrium position, the potential energy of the mass is at a maximum when the acceleration of the mass is zero 

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8
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1 mark

A mass-spring system has a period, T, mass, m, and a spring constant, k. These quantities are related by the following equation:

 T space equals space 2 straight pi square root of m over k end root

A new spring has a spring constant of 3 times the original value.

Using this new spring, which mass would cause the period, T, to decrease by a factor of 6?

  • 1 over 6 m

  • 1 third m

  • 8 m

  • 1 over 12 m

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9
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1 mark

The graph below shows the kinetic energy of a simple pendulum as a function of time. The time period of the pendulum is T

What does the length of the line JK represent?

4-1-sl-mcq-hard-q9-phy

  • T over 4

  • T over 2

  • T

  • 2T

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10
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1 mark

The period, T, of a simple pendulum depends upon the length of the string, l, and the acceleration of free fall, g, as defined by the following equation:

 T space equals space 2 straight pi square root of l over g end root

If the length of the string was reduced by a factor of 5, what would be the resulting period of the new oscillator?

  • 0.2T

  • 0.45T

  • 2T

  • 8T

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1
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1 mark

A mass-spring system is oscillating with simple harmonic motion.

What is the total energy of the object proportional to?

  • The square of both the mass and the amplitude

  • Mass and displacement of the object

  • Angular frequency

  • Mass and the square of the amplitude

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2
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1 mark

Which line identifies quantities which always have opposite directions during simple harmonic motion?

  • Acceleration and displacement

  • Acceleration and velocity

  • Velocity and restoring force

  • Acceleration and restoring force

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3
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1 mark

The graph shows the variation with time t of the acceleration a of an object X undergoing simple harmonic motion (SHM).


q3_4-1_mcq_medium_ib-physics-sl

A second object Y oscillates with the same frequency as X but with a phase difference of  pi over 4.

Which graph shows how the acceleration of object Y varies with t?

q3_4-1_mcq_medium_ib-physics-sl-1

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4
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1 mark

A particle, P, oscillates on the line XZ about its equilibrium point Y, in simple harmonic motion.

At the point shown, which statement could be correct about the motion of the particle?

q4_4-1_mcq_medium_ib-physics-sl

  • It has maximum kinetic energy and minimum potential energy

  • The total energy is equal to the kinetic energy at X

  • The restoring force is towards Z and the particle is accelerating

  • The restoring force is towards X and the particle is accelerating

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5
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1 mark

A pendulum is undergoing simple harmonic motion with a time period T and angular frequency ω.

A student makes a change to the set up so that the pendulum has a new time period 3T.

What is the new angular frequency?

  • 6ω

  • 3ω

  • omega over 3

  • omega over 6

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6
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1 mark

A pendulum is made to swing by a student pulling the bob to the left and releasing it. The student is careful to displace the bob by only a small amount.

After two full oscillations, the motion of the pendulum is plotted on a graph.

At which point is the velocity of the bob towards the right?

q6_4-1_mcq_medium_ib-physics-sl

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7
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1 mark

A mass is attached to a vertical spring and allowed to reach equilibrium. It is then displaced by a distance d and released. The total energy and time period are ET and T respectively.

In a second investigation the same mass-spring system travels twice as fast.

Which line correctly identifies the total energy and time period of the second oscillations?

 

ET

T

A.

2E

begin mathsize 16px style T over 2 end style

B.

4E

begin mathsize 16px style T over 2 end style

C.

2E

2T

D.

4E

T

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8
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1 mark

Which of the following graphs shows the variation with displacement x of the speed v of a particle performing simple harmonic motion?

q8_4-1_mcq_medium_ib-physics-sl

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9
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1 mark

Which graph correctly represents the relationship between acceleration, a, and displacement, x, in simple harmonic motion? q9_4-1_mcq_medium_ib-physics-sl

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10
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1 mark

The graph shows the motion of an oscillating body.

 q10_4-1_mcq_medium_ib-physics-sl

What is the frequency of the oscillation?

  • fraction numerator 1 over denominator 3.5 end fractionHz

  • 7.5 Hz

  • fraction numerator 1 over denominator 7.5 end fractionHz

  • 3.5 Hz

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