Calculating Spring Stretch for a Car & Trailer

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Homework Help Overview

The problem involves a car towing an 88 kg trailer connected by a spring with a spring constant of 2350 N/m, and it seeks to determine the amount of stretch in the spring as the car accelerates at 0.29 m/s².

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory, Assumption checking

Approaches and Questions Raised

  • Participants discuss the application of the equation Fx - kx and question whether the formula is being used correctly. There is also a consideration of the sign of the calculated stretch.

Discussion Status

Some participants have confirmed the method used, while others suggest that the negative sign in the result may need to be reconsidered, indicating a productive exchange of ideas regarding the interpretation of the results.

Contextual Notes

There is a potential ambiguity regarding the expected sign of the spring stretch, as well as the interpretation of the formula used in the context of the problem.

GeoKenshin
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Homework Statement



A car is hauling an 88 kg trailer, to which it is connected by a spring. The spring constant is 2350 N/m. The car accelerates with an acceleration of 0.29 m/s^2. By how much does the spring stretch?

Homework Equations



Fx -kx

The Attempt at a Solution



Fx -kx

88(.29) = -2350x

x = -0.01085957

This seems right. I tried -.0109 and .-01086 but no luck with that either. Am I using the wrong formula?
 
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GeoKenshin said:

Homework Statement



A car is hauling an 88 kg trailer, to which it is connected by a spring. The spring constant is 2350 N/m. The car accelerates with an acceleration of 0.29 m/s^2. By how much does the spring stretch?

Homework Equations



Fx -kx

The Attempt at a Solution



Fx -kx

88(.29) = -2350x

x = -0.01085957

This seems right. I tried -.0109 and .-01086 but no luck with that either. Am I using the wrong formula?


Your method is correct. Maybe try dropping the negative. (They may be looking for a positive value for how far the spring stretched.)
 
that worked. thanks.
 
Anytime.:smile:
 

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