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What is the total mechanical energy of a mass of 2 kg oscillating on a spring given that the maximum velocity of the mass is 5 m/s and the spring constant is 50 N/m?

User Lazov
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Answer:

The total mechanical energy of a mass oscillating on a spring is given by the sum of its kinetic energy and potential energy. The kinetic energy of the mass is given by (1/2) * m * v^2 and the potential energy is given by (1/2) * k * x^2 where m is the mass, v is the velocity, x is the displacement and k is the spring constant.

Given that the mass is 2 kg and the maximum velocity is 5 m/s, the kinetic energy is (1/2) * 2 * (5)^2 = 25 J.

Given that the spring constant is 50 N/m, the potential energy at maximum displacement is (1/2) * 50 * x^2 but we don't know the displacement x, so we can't calculate the potential energy. But the total mechanical energy is the sum of kinetic energy and potential energy, so we don't need to know the potential energy, we can calculate the total mechanical energy as 25 J

So the total mechanical energy is 25 J.

User Stacy Dudovitz
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