People who ride motorcycles and bicycles learn to look out for bumps in the road and especially for washboarding, a condition in which many equally spaced ridges are worn into the road. What is so bad about washboarding? A motorcycle has several springs and shock absorbers in its suspension, but you can model it as a single spring supporting a block. You can estimate the force constant by thinking about how far the spring compresses when a heavy rider sits on the seat. A motorcyclist traveling at highway speed must be particularly careful of washboard bumps that are a certain distance apart. What is the order of magnitude of their separation distance?
Simple harmonic motion
Simple harmonic motion is a type of periodic motion in which an object undergoes oscillatory motion. The restoring force exerted by the object exhibiting SHM is proportional to the displacement from the equilibrium position. The force is directed towards the mean position. We see many examples of SHM around us, common ones are the motion of a pendulum, spring and vibration of strings in musical instruments, and so on.
Simple Pendulum
A simple pendulum comprises a heavy mass (called bob) attached to one end of the weightless and flexible string.
Oscillation
In Physics, oscillation means a repetitive motion that happens in a variation with respect to time. There is usually a central value, where the object would be at rest. Additionally, there are two or more positions between which the repetitive motion takes place. In mathematics, oscillations can also be described as vibrations. The most common examples of oscillation that is seen in daily lives include the alternating current (AC) or the motion of a moving pendulum.
People who ride motorcycles and bicycles learn to look out for bumps in the road and especially for washboarding, a condition in which many equally spaced ridges are worn into the road. What is so bad about washboarding? A motorcycle has several springs and shock absorbers in its suspension, but you can model it as a single spring supporting a block. You can estimate the force constant by thinking about how far the spring compresses when a heavy rider sits on the seat. A motorcyclist traveling at highway speed must be particularly careful of washboard bumps that are a certain distance apart. What is the order of magnitude of their separation distance?
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