A real spring does not oscillate forever because of factors such as air resistance, friction, and internal damping within the spring itself. These factors cause energy to be lost over time, leading to a decrease in the amplitude of the oscillations until the spring eventually comes to a stop.
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A real spring has mass and may experience energy losses due to friction or air resistance, affecting its behavior. An ideal spring is massless and frictionless, which simplifies calculations in physics problems.
A mass-spring system can oscillate with simple harmonic motion when compressed because the restoring force from the spring is directly proportional to the displacement of the mass from its equilibrium position. This results in a periodic back-and-forth motion of the mass around the equilibrium point.
Waves on a spring are mechanical waves, specifically longitudinal waves. This means that the particles in the medium (spring) oscillate back and forth in the same direction as the wave is traveling.
The medium of a wave on a spring is the material of the spring itself. As the wave travels through the spring, it causes the individual particles of the material to oscillate back and forth. This motion of the particles transfers energy along the length of the spring.
When a spring is compressed or stretched, energy is stored in the form of potential energy. This potential energy is then converted into kinetic energy when the spring is released, causing the spring to oscillate back and forth. Overall, energy is transferred between potential and kinetic forms in a spring system.