Position of Mass (Spring Mass Sytem)

AI Thread Summary
A force of 10 Newtons stretches a spring by 0.04 m, resulting in a spring constant (k) of 250 N/m. When a 5 kg mass is attached and stretched downward by 0.05 m, the position of the mass at t = 0.5 seconds is calculated using the equation x(t) = -0.05cos( (50^1/2) t). The initial calculations yielded an incorrect position of -0.049904837 due to using degrees instead of radians for the cosine function. Correcting this error leads to the accurate position of -0.04617.
Kanashii
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Homework Statement


A force of 10 Newtons can stretch a spring by 0.04 m. Suppose a mass of 5 kg is attached to the lower end of the spring. We stretch the mass downward by 0.05 m from its equilibrium position and release it from rest. Determine the position of the mass relative to its equilibrium position at t = 0.5 seconds. Assume no damping.

Homework Equations


k = F/x
w= k/m
x(t) = A cos wt + B sin wt

The Attempt at a Solution


k = 10/ 0.04 = 250 N/m
x(0) = -0.05
x`(0) = 0
w= (250/5)^1/2 = 50^1/2
equation x(t) = -0.05cos( (50^1/2) t))
substituting t= 0.5, -0.049904837
but the answer is -0.04617 I do not know where I messed up.
 
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Kanashii said:
equation x(t) = -0.05cos( (50^1/2) t))
substituting t= 0.5, -0.049904837
but the answer is -0.04617 I do not know where I messed up.
You've taken the cosine of the angle in degrees, but it should be in radians.
 
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Jonathan Scott said:
You've taken the cosine of the angle in degrees, but it should be in radians.
Oooohhh
Thank you very much!
 
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