Energy in Simple Harmonic Motion

Question

A .500 kg mass is oscillating on a spring with k= 330 N/m. The total energy of it's oscillation is 3.24 J. What is the amplitude of the oscillation?

Answer 1

Equate the elastic potential energy at the amplitude to the total energy of the mass.  The answer will not depend on the mass. 

 

E = kA²/2 ⇒

 

A = √(2E/k) = √[2(3.24)/330] m = ? m