- #1
rkelley7891
- 2
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Here's the problem I've been working on:
"A mass is oscillating with amplitude A at the end of a spring. How far (in terms of A) is this mass from the equilibrium position of the spring when the elastic potential energy equals the kinetic energy?"
Now I know that Us = 0.5*k*x^2 and K = 0.5*m*v^2.
I first thought that the answer would be .5 (half of A) since that would be halfway between fully stretched and at equilibrium, then I thought maybe at equilibrium, but neither worked. I also then tried to set the two equations equal to one another, but can't go anywhere with this. Any ideas? This is a fairly simple question that is completely stumping me...
"A mass is oscillating with amplitude A at the end of a spring. How far (in terms of A) is this mass from the equilibrium position of the spring when the elastic potential energy equals the kinetic energy?"
Now I know that Us = 0.5*k*x^2 and K = 0.5*m*v^2.
I first thought that the answer would be .5 (half of A) since that would be halfway between fully stretched and at equilibrium, then I thought maybe at equilibrium, but neither worked. I also then tried to set the two equations equal to one another, but can't go anywhere with this. Any ideas? This is a fairly simple question that is completely stumping me...