Energy and Simple Harmonic Motion - Part II.

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Homework Help Overview

The discussion revolves around a problem involving energy and simple harmonic motion, specifically related to a spring-mass system oscillating on a frictionless surface. The original poster describes the setup, including the compression of the spring and the angular frequency, and seeks to determine the speed of the object at a specific stretch of the spring.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory, Conceptual clarification, Mathematical reasoning

Approaches and Questions Raised

  • Participants discuss the application of conservation of energy and Hooke's law to the problem. There are questions about the interpretation of the compression distance and its role in the calculations. Some participants express confusion about setting equations equal to each other and the significance of the given values.

Discussion Status

The discussion includes attempts to apply relevant formulas and concepts, with some participants offering hints and guidance regarding the spring constant and the relationship between compression and Hooke's law. There is an indication of progress as one participant reports having worked through the calculations, although the overall consensus on the approach remains unclear.

Contextual Notes

Participants are navigating through the constraints of the problem, including the specific values provided for compression and angular frequency, as well as the assumptions inherent in applying energy conservation principles. There is a noted lack of clarity on certain aspects of the problem setup, particularly regarding the initial conditions and their implications for the calculations.

sailordragonball
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A horizontal spring is lying on a frictionless surface. One end of the spring is attached to a wall whle the other end is connected to a movable object. The spring and object are compressed by 0.064 m, released from rest, and subsequently oscillate back and forth with an angular frequency of 11.5 rad/s. What is the speed of the object at the instant when the spring is stretched by 0.037 m relative to its unstrained length?

... I tried using KEo + PEo + SPEo = KEf + PEf + SPEf ... but, I can't get anywhere ...

... I found out that the frequency is 18.05hz and it's relative time is .056 seconds - and that's where I'm stuck!
 
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Use Hooke's law and conservation of energy.
 
Do I set them equal to each other??

... I don't understand the .64 meter compression part ... does that equal "X" in Hooke's Law and in ?
 
Hint -- Can you find the value of the spring constant?

BTW -- you are right in that the compression WILL be X in hooke's Law.
 
I figured it out ...

A = 0.064m (given in the problem)
omega = 11.5 (rad/s) - given in the problem
x = 0.037m (given in the problem)V(max) = A(omega)
V(max) = 0.064(11.5)
V(max) = .736(m/s)

V = V(max) * [the square root of the quantity of (1- {[x^2]/[A^2]})]
V = .736 * [the square root of the quantity of (1- {[0.037^2]/[0.064^2]})]

V = 0.601 (m/s)
 

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