MCQMediumJEE 2024Simple Harmonic Motion (SHM)

JEE Physics 2024 Question with Solution

A particle performs simple harmonic motion with amplitude AA. Its speed is increased to three times at an instant when its displacement is 2A3\frac{2A}{3}. The new amplitude of motion is nA3\frac{nA}{3}. The value of nn is:

  • A

    77

  • B

    66

  • C

    55

  • D

    44

Answer

Correct answer:A

Step-by-step solution

Standard Method

Given: A particle is in SHM with amplitude AA. At displacement x=2A3x = \frac{2A}{3}, its speed becomes three times the original speed.

Find: If the new amplitude is nA3\frac{nA}{3}, find nn.

For SHM, the speed at displacement xx is

v=ωA2x2v = \omega \sqrt{A^2 - x^2}

At x=2A3x = \frac{2A}{3}, the initial speed is

v1=ωA2(2A3)2v_1 = \omega \sqrt{A^2 - \left(\frac{2A}{3}\right)^2} =ωA24A29= \omega \sqrt{A^2 - \frac{4A^2}{9}} =ω5A29=ω5A3= \omega \sqrt{\frac{5A^2}{9}} = \omega \frac{\sqrt{5}A}{3}

When the speed is tripled,

v2=3v1=3×ω5A3=ω5Av_2 = 3v_1 = 3 \times \omega \frac{\sqrt{5}A}{3} = \omega \sqrt{5}A

Let the new amplitude be A=nA3A' = \frac{nA}{3}. Then at the same displacement,

v2=ωA2x2v_2 = \omega \sqrt{A'^2 - x^2}

So,

ω5A=ω(nA3)2(2A3)2\omega \sqrt{5}A = \omega \sqrt{\left(\frac{nA}{3}\right)^2 - \left(\frac{2A}{3}\right)^2} ω5A=ωAn249\omega \sqrt{5}A = \omega A \sqrt{\frac{n^2 - 4}{9}}

Cancelling common terms,

5=n243\sqrt{5} = \frac{\sqrt{n^2 - 4}}{3} 35=n243\sqrt{5} = \sqrt{n^2 - 4}

Squaring both sides,

45=n2445 = n^2 - 4 n2=49n^2 = 49

Since nn is positive,

n=7n = 7

Therefore, the correct option is A.

Direct amplitude update

Given: Initial amplitude is AA, displacement is 2A3\frac{2A}{3}, and the speed becomes three times.

Find: The value of nn if the new amplitude is nA3\frac{nA}{3}.

At x=2A3x = \frac{2A}{3}, initial speed is

v=ωA2(2A3)2=ω5A3v = \omega \sqrt{A^2 - \left(\frac{2A}{3}\right)^2} = \omega \frac{\sqrt{5}A}{3}

So the new speed is

v=3v=ω5Av' = 3v = \omega \sqrt{5}A

Using the same SHM speed relation with new amplitude AA',

ω5A=ω(A)2(2A3)2\omega \sqrt{5}A = \omega \sqrt{(A')^2 - \left(\frac{2A}{3}\right)^2}

Squaring,

5A2=(A)24A295A^2 = (A')^2 - \frac{4A^2}{9} (A)2=5A2+4A29=49A29(A')^2 = 5A^2 + \frac{4A^2}{9} = \frac{49A^2}{9} A=7A3A' = \frac{7A}{3}

Hence n=7n = 7, so the correct option is A.

Common mistakes

  • Using v=ωAv = \omega A directly at displacement x=2A3x = \frac{2A}{3} is incorrect because ωA\omega A is the maximum speed, not the speed at an arbitrary position. Use v=ωA2x2v = \omega \sqrt{A^2 - x^2} instead.

  • Forgetting that the displacement remains the same instant after the speed change leads to a wrong equation. The particle is still at x=2A3x = \frac{2A}{3}, so the new speed must be related to the new amplitude at that same xx.

  • Taking both roots of n2=49n^2 = 49 and writing n=±7n = \pm 7 is wrong here. Since the amplitude is written as nA3\frac{nA}{3}, nn must be positive, so choose n=7n = 7.

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