- #1
Pat2666
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Another question from me yet again!
Two geekie physics students with a combined mass of 124 kg jump into their old car to run out for some late night pizza. The distance between the front and back axles of the car is 2.8 m. When they get in the car, the springs compress a total of 8.7 cm. On their way to the Pizza Hut, when they go over a bump, the car oscillates up and down with a period of 1.5 seconds.
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(a) What is mass of the car?
mcar = kg
HELP: What two quantities determine the period of a mass oscillating on a spring?
HELP: How can you find the combined spring constant for all the springs of the car?
Okay, so based on the HELP provided I believe I thought I knew how to approach the problem. See below :
http://img511.imageshack.us/img511/1138/06162008082256pmix7.jpg
However, do I use 124kg as the mass or should it be 124 + mcar? And if so, then I have two unsolved variables :-\
Even if 124kg is correct I don't understand how solving for the constant k will help me in determining the mass of the car.
Any help would be great! My goal is to understand what I'm doing in the end lol
Two geekie physics students with a combined mass of 124 kg jump into their old car to run out for some late night pizza. The distance between the front and back axles of the car is 2.8 m. When they get in the car, the springs compress a total of 8.7 cm. On their way to the Pizza Hut, when they go over a bump, the car oscillates up and down with a period of 1.5 seconds.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(a) What is mass of the car?
mcar = kg
HELP: What two quantities determine the period of a mass oscillating on a spring?
HELP: How can you find the combined spring constant for all the springs of the car?
Okay, so based on the HELP provided I believe I thought I knew how to approach the problem. See below :
http://img511.imageshack.us/img511/1138/06162008082256pmix7.jpg
However, do I use 124kg as the mass or should it be 124 + mcar? And if so, then I have two unsolved variables :-\
Even if 124kg is correct I don't understand how solving for the constant k will help me in determining the mass of the car.
Any help would be great! My goal is to understand what I'm doing in the end lol
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