What is the name of a mass tied to a string that swings back and forth?

What is the name of a mass tied to a string that swings back and forth?

• A. Pendulum
• B. Wave
• C. Oscillator
• D. Inertia

Answer: (A)

A mass tied to a string that swings back and forth is called a pendulum. The motion of a pendulum is characteristic of oscillatory motion, where the mass moves to and fro around an equilibrium position due to the force of gravity acting on it. In a pendulum, the mass, often referred to as the bob, is suspended from a fixed point by the string. As the bob is displaced from its resting position and released, it swings downwards due to gravitational force and then swings back up on the opposite side, repeating this motion. The regular back-and-forth motion of the pendulum is a classic example of simple harmonic motion, where the restoring force is proportional to the displacement from the equilibrium position. While "oscillator" refers to any system that experiences periodic motion, and "wave" describes the disturbance that travels through space and matter, these terms do not specifically describe the setup involving a mass and a string. "Inertia" is a property of matter related to its resistance to changes in motion and is not directly relevant to the swinging motion of a pendulum. Thus, the term "pendulum" accurately denotes the specific arrangement and motion being discussed.

A mass tied to a string that swings back and forth is called a pendulum. The motion of a pendulum is characteristic of oscillatory motion, where the mass moves to and fro around an equilibrium position due to the force of gravity acting on it.

In a pendulum, the mass, often referred to as the bob, is suspended from a fixed point by the string. As the bob is displaced from its resting position and released, it swings downwards due to gravitational force and then swings back up on the opposite side, repeating this motion. The regular back-and-forth motion of the pendulum is a classic example of simple harmonic motion, where the restoring force is proportional to the displacement from the equilibrium position.

While "oscillator" refers to any system that experiences periodic motion, and "wave" describes the disturbance that travels through space and matter, these terms do not specifically describe the setup involving a mass and a string. "Inertia" is a property of matter related to its resistance to changes in motion and is not directly relevant to the swinging motion of a pendulum. Thus, the term "pendulum" accurately denotes the specific arrangement and motion being discussed.