A cart is attached to a horizontal spring of constant on a nearly frictionless track
PHYSICS · Multi-part · A Level · Physics · Further mechanics and thermal physics · Further mechanics and thermal physics
Problem
A 0.20kg cart is attached to a horizontal spring of constant 80Nm−1 on a nearly frictionless track. The spring is compressed 0.15m from equilibrium and the cart is released from rest.
(a) Calculate the total mechanical energy stored in the cart–spring system immediately after release.
(b) After several oscillations, non-conservative effects reduce the amplitude to 0.050m. Determine the new total mechanical energy at that moment.
(c) Compute the percentage decrease in total mechanical energy between parts (a) and (b).
(d) Identify one plausible physical mechanism—other than a change in the spring constant—that could account for the energy loss you calculated, and briefly describe how it removes mechanical energy from the system.