Figure 14.26 (a) shows a spring of force constant k clamped rigidly at one end and a mass m attached to its free end. A force F applied at the free end stretches the spring. Figure 14.26 (b) shows the same spring with both ends free and attached to a mass m at either end. Each end of the spring in Fig. 14.26(b) is stretched by the same force F.

If the mass in Fig. (a) and the two masses in Fig. (b) are released, what is the period of oscillation in each case ?

Explanation

`T=2pisqrt(m/k)` for (a) and `2pisqrt(m/(2k))` for (b)