Spring Scale Problem: Finding Time w/ Force & Mass

[DrDanger]

Homework Statement

You use a spring scale to pull a 1.5 kg object on a horizontal frictionless surface with a constant horizontal force of 1.3 N (according to the scale reading). You use a stopwatch to time how long it takes the object, starting from rest, to cover a distance of 2.7 m. What is the reading of the stopwatch?

Homework Equations

F=-KX
F=ma
$$\Delta X=VoT+.5aT^2$$

The Attempt at a Solution

So I did a=F/m to get the acceleration then plugged that into $$\Delta$$ X=VoT+.5aT^2 and Vo is equal to 0. After i plugged it all in I got 2.49, is that right? For some reason it seems wrong.

 

[DrDanger]

On a side note, is possible to find k using f=kx?

 

[tomcue]

As a scientist, it is important to check your units and make sure they are consistent. In this case, you are using a force of 1.3 N and a mass of 1.5 kg, which means your units for acceleration should be m/s^2. However, when you plug in the values, you get a value of 0.867 m/s^2, which is not consistent with the given force and mass.

To solve this problem, you can use the equation F=ma to find the acceleration, which is equal to 1.3 N / 1.5 kg = 0.867 m/s^2. Then, you can use the equation \Delta X=VoT+.5aT^2 and plug in the given values for distance (2.7 m) and acceleration (0.867 m/s^2) to solve for the time, T. This will give you a time of approximately 2.23 seconds.

Therefore, the reading of the stopwatch would be 2.23 seconds. It is important to double check your calculations and units to ensure accuracy and consistency in your results.