14.18 A cylindrical piece of cork of density of base area A and height h floats in a liquid of density ρl. The cork is depressed slightly and then released. Show that the cork oscillates up and down simple harmonically with a period

T=2πρlg

where ρ is the density of cork. (Ignore damping due to viscosity of the liquid).


Base area of the cork = A 
Height of the cork = h 
Density of the liquid= ρl
Density of the cork = ρ 

Weight of the cork = Weight of the liquid displaced by the floating cork

Let the cork be depressed slightly by x. As a result, some extra water of a certain volume is displaced. Hence, an extra up-thrust acts upward and provides the restoring force to the cork.

Up-thrust = Restoring force F = Weight of the extra water displaced

F = –(Volume depressed × Density × g)

Volume depressed= Area × Distance through which the cork is depressed

Volume = Ax

 F=-Axρlg ... i

In equilibrium:
F=kx
k=Fx
where k is a constant.
k=Fx=-lg                   ...ii
The time period of the oscillations of the cork:
T=2πmk                         ...iii
where,
m=Mass of the cork
m=Volume of the cork × Density
m=Base area of the cork × Height of the cork × Density of the cork
m= Ahρ
Hence, the expression for the time period becomes:
T=2πAhρlg=2πρlg