Help Solve Physics Problem: Find Max Displacement w/ Speed & Spring Constant

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Homework Help Overview

The problem involves an object vibrating at the end of a spring on a frictionless surface, with given parameters such as spring constant and speeds at specific displacements. The goal is to determine the maximum displacement of the object based on its maximum speed.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory, Conceptual clarification, Assumption checking

Approaches and Questions Raised

  • Participants discuss the relationship between total energy, potential energy, and kinetic energy in the context of a spring system. There are questions about how to find total energy without knowing the mass and the implications of having multiple unknowns in the equations.

Discussion Status

Participants are exploring the conservation of mechanical energy and its application to the problem. Some guidance has been offered regarding the formulation of total mechanical energy in terms of mass, but there is no explicit consensus on how to proceed due to the presence of unknowns.

Contextual Notes

There is a noted constraint regarding the lack of mass information, which complicates the calculations. The discussion also emphasizes the conservative nature of the system, which may influence the approach taken.

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An object vibrates at the end of a horizontal spring (k=955 N/m) along a frictionless surface. The speed of the object is 0.250 m/s when its displacement is 0.145 m. What is the maximum displacement of the object if its maximum speed is 0.322 m/s?

I understand to find max displacement, you use the formula:
Et=1/2kA^2

Now that you have to find Et, you can't use the formula Et=1/2mvo^2. or can't find Ek, as you don't have the mass.

Can someone please tell me how to find Et. tahnks.
 
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If by Et you mean total energy...

[tex]E_{t}=E_{P_{e}}+E_{K}=\frac{1}{2}kx^{2}+\frac{1}{2}mv^{2}[/tex]

where x is diplacement and Epe is elastic potential energy. From that you can find mass, and should be able to solve the problem from there.
 
but you don't have the total energy or the mass, so therefore the equation has two unknowns? right...
 
This is a conservative system [frictionless surface], so apply the Conservation of Mechanical Energy Law, Remember Mechanical Energy will be the same on any points of this system.
 
That's basically what I was getting at. I guess I should have been more explicit. Total mechanical energy will be elastic potential energy plus kinetic energy. Follow my instructions from above, but find total mech. energy in terms of the mass (keep that variable). Sorry about my previous error.
 
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