JJt^" ?e.

t5

9
1o

Modeling the Motion

Consider a weight attached to a spring
that is suspended from a horizontal bar
as illustrated in the figure. When the
object comes to rest we say it is at
"equilibrium" which is labeled 0 on the
vertical number line. [f you give the
weight a push, either up or down, it will
start to move and the motion can be
modeled by sine and cosine functions.
The "stiffness" of the spring and the
mass of the object affect how far the
object moves from the equilibriurn
position. The initial velocity and initial
position also affect the motion of the
spring. (We don't always start at the
eciuilibrium position.)

of

a Spring

f.'

If we neglect an1'damping forces (air

resistance etc.) then the motion of the
spring can be modeled b1'

.r(l) =

u^

--c
(o

sin(al) *

xo

cos(ral)

where x(r) is the position of the object along the number line at time l. The other
quantities are constants: a; is a constant that depends on the stiffness of the spring and
the mass of the weight, vo is the initial velocity, and ro is the initial position of the object.

Model the motion of a weight on a spring:

Suppose a weight is set in motiorr from a position 3 centimeters below the equilibrium
position and with a downward velocity of 4 centimeters per second. (Please note that the
vertical number line used for position is "upside down". I his is a convention from
physics and it means that positions below equilibrium actually correspond to a positive
vzrlue,) Assume that the spring stiffness and mass of the weight mean that ar = 2 for this
system.

Part I
1) Write the function x(l) that gives the position of the weight as a function of time r in
seconds. (Your function should consist of a sine term and a cosine term.)

Yr
/\(r')i

'i

FftE Z;(zt)+3

cos

(zt)l

)o\"^

?r..,5

l0

,)/

1/

2) Graph the separate sine and cosine oomponents of your function from (1) on the same
set of axes.

-l'hat

is graph -t', =

Irsin(a-l/) and .r. = xo cos(arI)on the sct of axes belorv.

(Sketch these graphs by hand and show nvo tull cycles.)

- = Z:in(1_t)
- = 3co.: (tt-)

3) tJse a graphing calculator (or online graphing utility) to graph the entire function from
part (1). Use the window settings indicated belou'. Sketch what you see on your
calculator display.

xmin:0
xmax:2tt
xscl

ymin: -5
ymax: 5
yscl: I

tg

4) Write an equation for your calculator graph in the form r(r; = Acos[B(t - C)]. (Use
the trace or maximum feature of your graphing utility to help you find values for A, B.
and C. I expect to see decimal approximations for these values.)

A=

3,6l

B=

.6j

C- o"z1

X(t; =

!,6\

cly,[r-ra (t-o'tq)]

\r

.,bh'n Yerf\
J
5) Hou.are the graphs frorn part 2) related to the graph in part 3)? Are the values tbr
period and amplitude the same or different? Why do you lhink wc see these results?
Please write out your explanation using complete sentences,

(r,rrn Co^p,.,ri^3

tb a.^ils in Fr-f z +o ?".1 3 'rl

I

i5 de^c {o 3eu t\^,ok $"" tr,,.H

(
uohcre- 2 t'n(zt-) o^r[
gco:(Zt) i^\Cr:e& c\ce t\"4 mc.x\nn*M and, rvlinlwrurvr
+U 3r-.pf. Li,,..(Zt) +3co:(Zt). This rro,ld. i'to\ezr[

Ff"tt in
"C\.r^ge \l*

Qer,"a,

\."* l[o

tu..lo

:opr^le

\\
-t5 r{
Fr"dt sl*"s
)

etl:K*t?^s. ,
t'.4 A1.^ol,n
i. gr^0 'r{- \ (-nt^
lh.c
k
(.L6(

I'art II:

dt$irJ I

6) Prove that the folloia,'ing is an idcntity (A is a positive constant) by filling in the blanks
belor+'.

A sin $ sin(a.r/) +

,.{

cos

cos(ror) = A cos(rot

- $)

A sin $ sin{atr) t- A cos S cos(rol)

A L s; n $ t;

fil 6$

"(,,rt\

1*

*(-t) ]

cr' u,lr) + s."d :;,n(oe)

fl tcro tqrgc,6 0 + s@t)

t,

)
^,?

:in(tct)+G
=

::

At*
,,1

4cosl*,L\ +srndr,.(&rt)

+
[cos(rr.rr) cos d sin(a.rl)

= Acos(r,st

Commutative Proper!,

of

Addition

sin/]

rb)

Part III:
Rewrite an expression of the form

ffisin(ror)+[cos1a.,r) = @rin(oil)+F*i7].os(rrrr) in terrns of a cosine function:

Acos{cat

- /).

"r-il: v, r,oo0n Qurn',^Aq,n"

Use the fbllowing definitions and your result from pafi

cr= Asinp=sin4=a I
'11

ct: Acosl =

cosp

=l]l
A)

?t-trsc xrob-\ho.lr
L, ,La rnc\A

bnfi=lt
t'2

poss,bl:
nxgcth\}e"

l.

is the amplitude of the cosine function and

rneasurcri in radians.

fi, "phi". is calied

the phase angle and is

YD{-

\ ,-

.):

J\nnr YerrS
Example: Write 4sin3r+2cos3r in terms of a cosine function,

H.ffitqt'
I A: a,{E

4sinit + t cosSL;.

t"n/-- *r L
=t"r.' (.) x, \,\L

ru
,-

n-a''^ ^^t{" }

7) Rewrite ybur function f,rom part I ) in terms of a cosine

your

work. L>n{t-t7 + 3 co: (Zt)

\U

A=

l33t7'

A=

,l

function: Acas{*tt - fi) . Show

AurGL-6)

rt

{-t:*. (t-t-6:1)

\"nd = L"

1_)

f""(3\= o.5q
A = C.51

-/

sal.,c.^5

8) Compare your function fiom part 4) and part 7). What do you observe? Write a one or
two senteuce explanation.
.-1)

3.Ll c,1=5.rg (t-.zol

l.g3 x .Lq, X,,53

b#^

E:

?) 53 -:(zt--o
J-r:

oq)

x 3'at

:hare \\"{- zor,w annpli{dq- crs .utt &S

5inrni \c.r qericl5 and,
?h* 5,h'!t. A $'nf, a \of

l..^ncf,o^s

oi' \\c

cV*^5g- w\ad& \o \[a ?e.id

S"Pl aru d, q- +, O**d. &t eccor.

"rrl

\1n"

- \,\f

a{5.,.f:(t-o,{

v,

o({5 Co5 (s+

?\"es{-