A Block Holding a Ringing Tuning Fork Is Attached to a Wall

question 47

Multiple Choice

A block holding a ringing tuning fork is attached to a wall by a spring. The block oscillates back and forth on a horizontal, frictionless surface, with amplitude 17 cm. The mass of the tuning fork and block together is 0.75 kg. An observer who is situated so that the block's direction of motion is either directly towards or away from him notes that the frequency he hears varies between 174 and 178 Hz. What is the spring constant of the spring? The speed of sound is 340 m/s.

• A) 390 N/m
• B) 203 N/m
• C) 1590 N/m
• D) 290 N/m
• E) 100 N/m

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Definitions:

Marginal Utility

The additional satisfaction or utility that a consumer gains from consuming one more unit of a good or service.

Income

The money received, typically on a regular basis, for work or through investments.

Utils Per Dollar

A hypothetical measurement of the utility or satisfaction a consumer gains from spending one dollar on a good or service.

Risk-Averse

Characteristic of preferring to avoid risk, leading to preference for safer, more certain outcomes over riskier ones.