Here's why:
* The formula: The period (T) of a spring-mass system is given by:
T = 2π√(m/k)
where:
* m is the mass attached
* k is the spring constant
* Non-linear relationship: As you can see from the formula, the period is proportional to the square root of the mass. This means that if you double the mass, the period will increase by a factor of √2 (approximately 1.41), not double.
In simpler terms: The heavier the object, the longer it takes to complete one oscillation (one full cycle of back and forth motion). However, the relationship is not a straight line. The period increases more slowly as the mass gets larger.
