Physics 1A Winter 2008

Problem Set #5
1) Two massless springs with spring constants k1 = 4.0 N/m and k2 = 6.0 N/m are
welded together at point A in the diagram. A mass m = 1.0 kg that slides on a
frictionless surface is incident on the springs with a velocity v0 = 0.5 m/s. It hits a
thin massless plate with a Velcro surface at the end of spring 2 and sticks to it.
a) In terms of the spring constants k1 and k2, what is the effective spring constant
keff characterizing this two-spring system, i.e. what is the spring constant of the
single spring that could replace these two and give the same motion of the mass?
b) What is the maximum compression xmax that the mass reaches from the initial
equilibrium length of the springs?

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2) A 3.20 kg block starts at rest and slides a distance d down a frictionless 30.0°
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incline, where it runs into a spring. The block slides an additional 20.5 cm before
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it is brought to rest momentarily by compressing the spring, whose spring

constant k is 438 N/m.
(a) What is the value of d?
(b) What is the distance between the point of first contact and the point
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where the block's speed is greatest?

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 3) A bungee cord is 30.0 m long and, when stretched a distance x, it exerts a
restoring force of magnitude kx. Your father-in-law (mass 97.0 kg) stands on a
platform 45.0 m above the ground, and one end of the cord is tied securely to his
ankle and the other end to the platform. You have promised him that when he
steps off the platform he will fall a maximum distance of only 41.0 m before the
cord stops him. You had several bungee cords to select from, and you tested them
by stretching them out, tying one end to a tree, and pulling on the other end with a
force of 410 N. When you do this, what distance will the bungee cord that you
should select have stretched?

4) You are designing a ski jump ramp for the next Winter Olympics. You need to
calculate the vertical height h from the starting gate to the bottom of the ramp.

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The skiers push off hard with their ski poles at the start, just above the starting

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gate, so they typically have a speed of 2.0 m/s as they reach the gate. For safety,

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the skiers should have a speed of no more than 30.0 m/s when they reach the

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bottom of the ramp. You determine that for a 79.0 kg skier with good form,

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friction and air resistance will do total work of magnitude 4000 J on him during
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his run down the slope. What is the maximum height h for which the maximum
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safe speed will not be exceeded?
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5) The Great Sandini is a 60 kg circus performer who is shot from a cannon (actually
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a spring gun). You don't find many men of his caliber, so you help him design a
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new gun. This new gun has a very large spring with a very small mass and a force
constant of 1400 N/m that he will compress with a force of 5600 N. The inside of
the gun barrel is coated with Teflon, so the average friction force will be only
50 N during the distance of 4.0 m that he moves in the barrel. At what speed will
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he emerge from the end of the barrel, a distance 2.0 m above his initial rest
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position?

6) A ski tow operates on a slope of angle 15.4 deg of length 280 m. The rope moves
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at a speed of 13.0 km/h and provides power for 51 riders at one time, with an
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average mass per rider of 71.0 kg. Estimate the power required to operate the tow.

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