- #1
Maiia
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Homework Statement
In a 'worst-case' design scenario a 2000-kg elevator with broken cables is falling at 25m/s when it first contacts a cushioning spring at the bottom of the shaft. The spring is supposed to stop the elevator, compressing 3m as it does so. During the motion, a safety clamp applies a constant 17,000N frictional force to the elevator. As an energy consultant, you are asked to determine what the force constant of the spring should be.
The Attempt at a Solution
The way I set up the problem was like this:
Work done by noncons force + GPE initial+ KE initial+ EPE initial= GPE final + KE final+ EPE final
EPE initial is 0. I set my zero as the point when the mass is coming to rest on the spring for a slight instant before compressing the spring. I assume the 25m/s is a constant velocity...? If so, then KE inital and KE final cancel. So I am left with:
-fd + mgy0= mgyf + .5kx^2
thing is, then I have two unknowns, because I don't know the spring constant and I don't know what height it starts off at...If someone could point me in the right direction, I would greatly appreciate it:)