How Does a Compressed Spring Affect a Ball's Motion and Energy?

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The discussion focuses on the physics of a ball launched from a compressed spring, specifically addressing kinetic energy, speed, momentum, force, impulse, power, and collision dynamics. Key calculations include determining the kinetic energy using the formula KE=1/2*mv^2 and discussing the implications of whether the spring is ideal or real. Participants express confusion about the ball's speed and momentum, with one contributor questioning the assumed speed of 0.01 m/s. The conversation emphasizes the importance of clarifying assumptions and showing work for accurate problem-solving. Overall, the thread highlights the complexities of energy transfer in spring mechanics and the resulting motion of the ball.
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If a ball of mass of 0.1kg is placed at the end of the compressed spring
(k=4000N/m). If the spring is compressed 1cm...
a. What will the kinetic energy of the ball be?
b. How fast is it moving?
c. What is its momentum?
d. What was the force on the ball from the spring?
e. If it took 0.01s to go from compression to ‘launch’, what is the impulse?
f. What was the power?
g. If this ball was on the bottom of a frictionless roller coaster track, what is
the maximum height that the loop could be?
h. What is the speed of the ball at the bottom of the loop?
i. If this 0.1kg mass collides with a 1.0kg mass that was at rest, what is the
momentum of the system after the collision? (this is an elastic collision)
j. What are the velocities (magnitude and direction) of 0.1kg and 1.0kg
masses
 
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Its good to draw a picture of the setup and list the equations that you think will help solve the problem and you need to show some work before we can help.
 
bobo2210 said:
If a ball of mass of 0.1kg is placed at the end of the compressed spring
(k=4000N/m). If the spring is compressed 1cm...
a. What will the kinetic energy of the ball be?
b. How fast is it moving?
c. What is its momentum?
d. What was the force on the ball from the spring?
e. If it took 0.01s to go from compression to ‘launch’, what is the impulse?
f. What was the power?
g. If this ball was on the bottom of a frictionless roller coaster track, what is
the maximum height that the loop could be?
h. What is the speed of the ball at the bottom of the loop?
i. If this 0.1kg mass collides with a 1.0kg mass that was at rest, what is the
momentum of the system after the collision? (this is an elastic collision)
j. What are the velocities (magnitude and direction) of 0.1kg and 1.0kg
masses

Is this an ideal (massless) spring - where all the energy stored is to be imparted to the ball, or a real spring, where the energy stored is shared between the ball and pieces of the spring?
For that matter -especially considering part (d.) has the spring been released yet?
 
What I got for (a)
is KE=1/2*mv^2
KE= 1/2*(0.1kg)*(0.01m/s)= 0.0005J
b) the ball is moving slow
then I didn't know how to find the momentum
 
bobo2210 said:
What I got for (a)
is KE=1/2*mv^2
KE= 1/2*(0.1kg)*(0.01m/s)= 0.0005J
b) the ball is moving slow
then I didn't know how to find the momentum

What made you think it was traveling at 0.01 m/s when you did part (a)?
 

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