Question

. A spring has a length of 0.200 m when a 0.300-kg mass hangs from it, and a length of 0.750 m when a 1.95-kg mass hangs from it. (a) What is the force constant of the spring? (b) What is the unloaded length of the spring?

Answer 1

Answer:

29.4 N/m

0.1  

Explanation:

a) From the restoring Force we know that :  

F_r = —k*x  

the gravitational force :  

F_g=mg  

Where:

F_r is the restoring force .

F_g is the gravitational force

g is the acceleration of gravity

k is the constant force  

xi , x2 are the displacement made by the two masses.

Givens:

m1 = 1.29 kg

m2 = 0.3 kg  

x1   = -0.75 m  

x2 = -0.2 m

g   = 9.8 m/s^2  

Plugging known information to get :

F_r =F_g

-k*x1 + k*x2=m1*g-m2*g

k=29.4 N/m

b) To get the unloaded length 1:  

l=x1-(F_1/k)

Givens:

m1 = 1.95kg , x1 = —0.75m  

Plugging known infromation to get :

l= x1 — (F_1/k)  

= 0.1