When taking a test involving curved frictionless ramps, one must take several things into consideration:
1) Is air resistance negligible?
2) Do I remember how to apply the spring constant in a formula?
3) Did I study for this test?
4) Is there perhaps an elephant in the way?
6 comments:
Uhhh, I think the answer is:
x=1.71m
I think...my physics is sketchy at best.
I would imagine that since the surface is frictonless the mass goes back up the slope the total of 5m...the only loss of energy would be in the spring and I doubt anyone asked to complete this problem would be forced to account for loss of energy due to heat and the spring contracting...
just my thoughts...
ANd yeah, there is the elephant...does the mass go in his ass? I wonder what energy equations apply in that situation.
for shits and giggles:
total energy is conserved,
Etot = U + Ke + Ks
Etot = mgh + 1/2 mv^2 + 1/2 kx^2
so...at the top of the slope, v=x=0
Etot = mgh
at total spring compression h=v=0
Etot = 1/2 kx^2
therefore
mgh = 1/2 kx^2
solve for x
x = sqrt((2mgh)/k)
Sadly, this person plugged into the unknowns right off the bat....a major physics no no
and sadly, I kind of miss this stuff....
I'm going to go cry and contemplate the meaning of my life now...
g = 9.8 m/s^2
LMAO! Lorigga!
i thought you'd appreciate this.
but all your calculations are wrong, because clearly there's an elephant in the way. =D
Actually...
you can ignore the elephant. you see, the mass enters it's ass and exits through the trunk. it may not be mentioned, but the internals of an elephant are also frictionless...therefore, energy is still conserved and you can ignore all the steps between the starting position and total spring contraction.
/served
you guys are totally nuts. yay math?
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