Question

The table shows the height, in centimeters, that a weight bouncing from a spring would achieve if there were no friction, for a given number of seconds. Time (s) Height (cm) 0 −25 1.5 0 3 25 4.5 0 6 −25 7.5 0 9 25 10.5 0 12 −25 From its resting position, how long does it take the weight to bounce one direction, then the other, and then back to its resting position? Enter your answer in the box. s

Answer 1

Hello! For ease of calculations, we can identify the time it took for the weight to bounce back to the other direction, then the other, and then back to its original position by looking at the time it took for the weight to change from 0 to 25 to 0 to -25 then back to 0. This is one whole cycle of the weight.

By the time the weight first reached zero, 1.5 seconds has passed. By the third time it got to zero again, 7.5 seconds has passed. Therefore, one whole cycle of the weight is 7.5-1.5 = 6.0 seconds.

ANSWER: One whole cycle of the weight took 6 seconds.