Question

What is the restoring force at t=0 in the spring-mass system described, where the spring constant is

50N/m ^−1 and the block of mass 1kg is displaced by 0.01m to the right before being released?

a) 0.5N
b) 1.0N
c) 2.0N
d) 5.0N

Answer 1

Using Hooke's Law, the restoring force at t=0 for a block of mass 1kg displaced by 0.01m with a spring constant of 50 N/m ^-1 is calculated to be 0.5 N.

Step-by-step explanation:

The restoring force F in a spring-mass system at any given displacement x from equilibrium is described by Hooke's Law, which is F = -kx, where k is the spring constant and x is the displacement. In the case of a spring with a spring constant of 50 N/m and a block of mass 1kg displaced by 0.01 m, the restoring force at t=0 can be calculated by plugging the given values into the formula.

The formula becomes F = -50 N/m * 0.01 m, which simplifies to F = -0.5 N. The negative sign indicates that the force is in the opposite direction of the displacement (restoring force), but since we are interested in the magnitude, the answer is 0.5 N.

Therefore, the restoring force at t=0 in the spring-mass system is 0.5 N.