Try it on paper first. A hint, the key idea and the worked solution are here when you need them.
A uniform rod of mass and length hangs from a smooth pivot at its upper end. A light horizontal spring of force constant joins its lower end to a wall, as in the figure. The spring has its natural length when the rod hangs straight down. The rod is turned through in the plane of the figure and released from rest. Take , and treat the swings as small, with the spring staying horizontal.
Have you tried it?
Work it out on paper first. It is fine to get stuck or make a mistake: that is how we learn. When you are ready, go through the solution one step at a time, and check each step against your own.
Plan. Write the restoring torque for a small turn , show that it is proportional to , and read off from .
Step 1. The torques. The weight gives . The spring is stretched by , pulls with and acts at : . In all per radian.
Step 2. Period (a). , so , and
Step 3. Speed of the end (b). The rod's angular speed is greatest as it passes the vertical: . The lower end moves at .
Step 4. Equal simple pendulum (c). It needs , so .
Step 5. Spring force (d). The largest stretch is at release, , so .
Answer: (a) . (b) . (c) . (d) .
Check. The spring gives of the restoring torque, so the period is far shorter than that of the rod alone, . The equal simple pendulum is only a few centimetres long, which fits.
Watch out. The spring acts at the full length and its stretch is also proportional to , so its torque goes as . Putting it at like the weight gives a period that is far too long.
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