A cart of mass is connected to a horizontal spring (force constant ) fixed to a rigid wall
PHYSICS · Subjective · AP · Physics 1: Algebra-based · Work Energy and Power · Work Energy and Power
Problem
A cart of mass 2.0kg is connected to a horizontal spring (force constant 120Nm−1) fixed to a rigid wall. The surface is frictionless. The cart is pulled to the right until the spring is stretched by 0.15m from equilibrium and released from rest.
(a) Calculate the mechanical work done by the spring force on the cart while it moves towards the wall from displacement x=+0.15m to x=+0.06m.
(b) Determine the speed of the cart at x=+0.06m.
(c) Find the additional work that will be done by the spring force before the cart first reaches the equilibrium position and state what will eventually happen to the cart’s kinetic energy at that point.