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kay123
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Homework Statement
I'm writing a paper on one of my lab experiments and I'm not sure my physics concept is right? The question asks if the mass of a cart affects the extension of the spring. A spring is attached to a cart which is attached to sting through a pulley and connected to a hanging object of mass W (a picture is attached). From my results, the spring stretched slightly more with the cart than without the cart attached to the spring.
Homework Equations
I know that at equilibrium all forces equal 0. Σ Fx = Σ Fy = 0
Fs= kx
F=mg
(with cart)
Σ Fx = Fs –Th
Σ Fy = Tv + Fn - Mgw -Mgc
(without cart)
Σ Fx = Σ Fx = Fs –Th
Σ Fy = Tv - Mgw
The Attempt at a Solution
If k is constant and Fs= kx and F=mg then mg=kx. Then if the cart was attached, mass will increase, therefore x (the spring extension) will increase, which explains why the spring stretched more when the cart was attached.
Is this somewhat right, because he said i have the wrong concept? Can anyone help me? Am I missing something?