12/14/2019 physics – cici math

cici math

physics

january 29, 2016july 25, 2016 • cici shannon

A block with mass 2.0kg oscillates on the end of a spring in SHM with a period of 20ms. The
position of a block is given by . Block 1 of mass 4.0kg slides toward block
2 with a velocity of magnitude 6.0 m/s, directed along the spring’s length. The two blocks undergo
a completely inelastic collision at time t=5.0ms. (The duration of the collision is much less than the
period of motion.) What is the amplitude of the SHM after the collision?

Since the collision is completely inelastic, we may use the principle of conservation of energy as our
problem-solving framework.

Energy Before Collision = Energy After Collision

We shall use some algebra to squish around some equations we know in order to find our desired
unknown, which is amplitude after the collision. Let us list what we are given in our prompt so that
we can consider what algebraic manipulation is available to us.

Keeping in mind that we are looking for amplitude after collision, we have some other equations that
may prove useful, which we find in our textbook.

We also remember what we have learned about energy, namely

Before the collision, the energies we have include block 1 and the spring system. Let’s think about
block 1 first, which is moving, so its energy is kinetic.

Approaching block 2, which we will regard as a spring, we are missing two variables, and

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Let us tackle first. We have this equation where is also found:

but from there we also need

Luckily, we have another equation where we find it,

and we know that we can easily find by considering that

or, rewri en

since we have been given in the prompt.

Therefore,

Knowing our frequency, we can use the equation that relates and

Now that we have , we can use our equation that relates it and so that we can determine the
spring’s energy.

, rearranged,

Now, let’s tackle which we remember is the position of the spring. We are given an expression
where is found,

and we have found , and the prompt gives us

We now are prepared to define our energy before the collision.

States after the collision will be noted by After the completely inelastic collision, both
blocks will be sticking to the spring, so

Knowing that
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, we can find

We can now determine position after collision.

Finally, we can find the amplitude after the collision, using

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