{"id":87294,"date":"2025-06-01T06:39:34","date_gmt":"2025-06-01T06:39:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/exam.pscnotes.com\/mcq\/?p=87294"},"modified":"2025-06-01T06:39:34","modified_gmt":"2025-06-01T06:39:34","slug":"a-spring-can-be-used-to-determine-the-mass-m-of-an-object-in-two-ways","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/exam.pscnotes.com\/mcq\/a-spring-can-be-used-to-determine-the-mass-m-of-an-object-in-two-ways\/","title":{"rendered":"A spring can be used to determine the mass m of an object in two ways"},"content":{"rendered":"

A spring can be used to determine the mass m of an object in two ways : (i) by measuring the extension in the spring due to the object; and (ii) by measuring the oscillation period for the given mass. Which of these methods can be used in a space-station orbiting Earth ?<\/p>\n

[amp_mcq option1=”Both” option2=”Only the extension method” option3=”Only the oscillation method” option4=”Neither” correct=”option3″]<\/p>\n

\n
\n
This question was previously asked in<\/div>\n
UPSC NDA-1 – 2015<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
Download PDF<\/a>Attempt Online<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\nMethod (i) involves measuring the extension of a spring caused by the weight of the object (F = mg, where F is the force causing extension, m is mass, and g is acceleration due to gravity). In a space station orbiting Earth, objects are in a state of apparent weightlessness because they are in free fall. The effect of gravity is effectively absent for this type of measurement, so there would be no significant extension of the spring due to the object’s mass in the absence of gravitational force acting downwards. Method (ii) involves measuring the oscillation period of a mass attached to a spring. The period of oscillation (T) of a simple harmonic oscillator like a mass-spring system is given by T = 2\u03c0\u221a(m\/k), where m is the mass and k is the spring constant. This formula depends on mass (m) and spring constant (k), but not on gravity (g). Therefore, the oscillation method can be used to determine mass in a weightless environment like an orbiting space station.
\n<\/section>\n
\nMeasuring extension relies on weight (force due to gravity), which is effectively zero in orbit. Measuring oscillation period relies on inertial mass and spring constant, which are unaffected by gravity.
\n<\/section>\n
\nThe oscillation method is actually used on the International Space Station (ISS) with a device called the Body Mass Measurement Device (BMMD) to measure the mass of astronauts. The BMMD is essentially a chair attached to springs that oscillates, and the oscillation period is used to calculate the mass. This demonstrates the practicality of the oscillation method for mass determination in a microgravity environment.
\n<\/section>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

A spring can be used to determine the mass m of an object in two ways : (i) by measuring the extension in the spring due to the object; and (ii) by measuring the oscillation period for the given mass. Which of these methods can be used in a space-station orbiting Earth ? [amp_mcq option1=”Both” … <\/p>\n

Detailed SolutionA spring can be used to determine the mass m of an object in two ways<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1093],"tags":[1443,1129,1128],"class_list":["post-87294","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-upsc-nda-1","tag-1443","tag-mechanics","tag-physics","no-featured-image-padding"],"yoast_head":"\nA spring can be used to determine the mass m of an object in two ways<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Method (i) involves measuring the extension of a spring caused by the weight of the object (F = mg, where F is the force causing extension, m is mass, and g is acceleration due to gravity). In a space station orbiting Earth, objects are in a state of apparent weightlessness because they are in free fall. The effect of gravity is effectively absent for this type of measurement, so there would be no significant extension of the spring due to the object's mass in the absence of gravitational force acting downwards. Method (ii) involves measuring the oscillation period of a mass attached to a spring. The period of oscillation (T) of a simple harmonic oscillator like a mass-spring system is given by T = 2\u03c0\u221a(m\/k), where m is the mass and k is the spring constant. This formula depends on mass (m) and spring constant (k), but not on gravity (g). Therefore, the oscillation method can be used to determine mass in a weightless environment like an orbiting space station. Measuring extension relies on weight (force due to gravity), which is effectively zero in orbit. Measuring oscillation period relies on inertial mass and spring constant, which are unaffected by gravity.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/exam.pscnotes.com\/mcq\/a-spring-can-be-used-to-determine-the-mass-m-of-an-object-in-two-ways\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"A spring can be used to determine the mass m of an object in two ways\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Method (i) involves measuring the extension of a spring caused by the weight of the object (F = mg, where F is the force causing extension, m is mass, and g is acceleration due to gravity). In a space station orbiting Earth, objects are in a state of apparent weightlessness because they are in free fall. The effect of gravity is effectively absent for this type of measurement, so there would be no significant extension of the spring due to the object's mass in the absence of gravitational force acting downwards. Method (ii) involves measuring the oscillation period of a mass attached to a spring. The period of oscillation (T) of a simple harmonic oscillator like a mass-spring system is given by T = 2\u03c0\u221a(m\/k), where m is the mass and k is the spring constant. This formula depends on mass (m) and spring constant (k), but not on gravity (g). Therefore, the oscillation method can be used to determine mass in a weightless environment like an orbiting space station. Measuring extension relies on weight (force due to gravity), which is effectively zero in orbit. Measuring oscillation period relies on inertial mass and spring constant, which are unaffected by gravity.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/exam.pscnotes.com\/mcq\/a-spring-can-be-used-to-determine-the-mass-m-of-an-object-in-two-ways\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"MCQ and Quiz for Exams\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2025-06-01T06:39:34+00:00\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"rawan239\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"rawan239\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"2 minutes\" \/>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO Premium plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"A spring can be used to determine the mass m of an object in two ways","description":"Method (i) involves measuring the extension of a spring caused by the weight of the object (F = mg, where F is the force causing extension, m is mass, and g is acceleration due to gravity). In a space station orbiting Earth, objects are in a state of apparent weightlessness because they are in free fall. The effect of gravity is effectively absent for this type of measurement, so there would be no significant extension of the spring due to the object's mass in the absence of gravitational force acting downwards. Method (ii) involves measuring the oscillation period of a mass attached to a spring. The period of oscillation (T) of a simple harmonic oscillator like a mass-spring system is given by T = 2\u03c0\u221a(m\/k), where m is the mass and k is the spring constant. This formula depends on mass (m) and spring constant (k), but not on gravity (g). Therefore, the oscillation method can be used to determine mass in a weightless environment like an orbiting space station. Measuring extension relies on weight (force due to gravity), which is effectively zero in orbit. Measuring oscillation period relies on inertial mass and spring constant, which are unaffected by gravity.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/exam.pscnotes.com\/mcq\/a-spring-can-be-used-to-determine-the-mass-m-of-an-object-in-two-ways\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"A spring can be used to determine the mass m of an object in two ways","og_description":"Method (i) involves measuring the extension of a spring caused by the weight of the object (F = mg, where F is the force causing extension, m is mass, and g is acceleration due to gravity). In a space station orbiting Earth, objects are in a state of apparent weightlessness because they are in free fall. The effect of gravity is effectively absent for this type of measurement, so there would be no significant extension of the spring due to the object's mass in the absence of gravitational force acting downwards. Method (ii) involves measuring the oscillation period of a mass attached to a spring. The period of oscillation (T) of a simple harmonic oscillator like a mass-spring system is given by T = 2\u03c0\u221a(m\/k), where m is the mass and k is the spring constant. This formula depends on mass (m) and spring constant (k), but not on gravity (g). Therefore, the oscillation method can be used to determine mass in a weightless environment like an orbiting space station. Measuring extension relies on weight (force due to gravity), which is effectively zero in orbit. Measuring oscillation period relies on inertial mass and spring constant, which are unaffected by gravity.","og_url":"https:\/\/exam.pscnotes.com\/mcq\/a-spring-can-be-used-to-determine-the-mass-m-of-an-object-in-two-ways\/","og_site_name":"MCQ and Quiz for Exams","article_published_time":"2025-06-01T06:39:34+00:00","author":"rawan239","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"rawan239","Est. reading time":"2 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/exam.pscnotes.com\/mcq\/a-spring-can-be-used-to-determine-the-mass-m-of-an-object-in-two-ways\/","url":"https:\/\/exam.pscnotes.com\/mcq\/a-spring-can-be-used-to-determine-the-mass-m-of-an-object-in-two-ways\/","name":"A spring can be used to determine the mass m of an object in two ways","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/exam.pscnotes.com\/mcq\/#website"},"datePublished":"2025-06-01T06:39:34+00:00","dateModified":"2025-06-01T06:39:34+00:00","author":{"@id":"https:\/\/exam.pscnotes.com\/mcq\/#\/schema\/person\/5807dafeb27d2ec82344d6cbd6c3d209"},"description":"Method (i) involves measuring the extension of a spring caused by the weight of the object (F = mg, where F is the force causing extension, m is mass, and g is acceleration due to gravity). 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