Question:

The maximum kinetic energy of a pendulum executing simple harmonic motion is E. If the length of the pendulum is doubled and the amplitude of motion is halved, then the maximum kinetic energy of the pendulum is:

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When manipulating oscillatory parameters, always track the squares of the amplitude and the linear inverse relationship with the length of the pendulum.
Updated On: Jun 9, 2026
  • \( \frac{E}{8} \)
  • \( 8E \)
  • \( \frac{E}{4} \)
  • \( 4E \)
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The Correct Option is C

Solution and Explanation

Concept: The total energy of a simple harmonic oscillator, which is equal to its maximum kinetic energy (\(E = K_{max}\)), is given by the formula \( E = \frac{1}{2} m \omega^2 A^2 \). For a simple pendulum, the angular frequency \(\omega\) is defined as \(\omega = \sqrt{\frac{g}{L}}\). Substituting this into the energy formula, we get: $$ E = \frac{1}{2} m \left(\frac{g}{L}\right) A^2 $$

Step 1: Define the initial state.
Let the initial mass be \(m\), initial length be \(L\), and initial amplitude be \(A\). $$ E_{initial} = \frac{mgA^2}{2L} = E $$

Step 2: Apply the specified changes.
The new length is \(L' = 2L\) and the new amplitude is \(A' = \frac{A}{2}\). $$ E_{new} = \frac{mg(A')^2}{2L'} $$

Step 3: Perform the substitution and simplify.
$$ E_{new} = \frac{mg(\frac{A}{2})^2}{2(2L)} $$ $$ E_{new} = \frac{mg(\frac{A^2}{4})}{4L} $$ $$ E_{new} = \frac{1}{4} \left( \frac{mgA^2}{4L} \right) \dots \text{further simplifying: } $$ $$ E_{new} = \frac{1}{16} \frac{mgA^2}{L} = \frac{1}{8} \frac{mgA^2}{L} \text{ [Wait, check factor: } \frac{1}{4} \cdot \frac{1}{2} = \frac{1}{8} \text{ ]} $$ Re-calculating: $$ E_{new} = \frac{1}{4 \times 2} \times \frac{mgA^2}{L} = \frac{1}{8} \times (2E) = \frac{E}{4} $$ $$\boxed{\frac{E}{4}}$$
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