The discussion clarifies the relationship between gravitational potential energy (Ug) and spring potential energy (W spring) in a conservation of energy problem. It establishes that mgh is equivalent to mgx due to the fixed length of the string connecting the masses, leading to equal vertical and horizontal displacements (Δh = Δx). This equivalence is crucial for understanding energy transformations in the system involving a hanging mass and a spring.
PREREQUISITESStudents studying physics, particularly those focusing on mechanics and energy conservation, as well as educators seeking to explain the principles of potential energy in systems involving springs and pulleys.
mgh represents the change in gravitational PE for the hanging mass M. Assuming that the string is of fixed length, the block M's vertical motion must be equal in magnitude to block 2M's horizontal motion, hence Δh = Δx with the appropriate choice of coordinates.Lori said:
