Question

A toy rocket is launched upward with a spring, and you want to determine the time that the spring is in contact with the rocket causing acceleration. Your friend claims that's easy: just measure the mass of the rocket, the height it goes, and do the math. You disagree and say that you also need the force of the spring on the rocket. Make a claim who is correct, and provide evidence and reasoning for your answer.

A) Your friend is correct; mass and height are sufficient
B) You are correct; force of the spring is necessary
C) Both are correct; mass, height, and force are all needed
D) Neither is correct; other factors are crucial

Answer 1

To calculate the contact time of the spring with the rocket, you need the force of the spring along with the rocket's mass and height. The force of the spring is crucial for determining the rocket's acceleration, which directly affects the contact time.

Step-by-step explanation:

To determine the time that the spring is in contact with the toy rocket causing acceleration, not only do you need to know the mass of the rocket and the height it achieves, but also the force of the spring on the rocket. This is because the acceleration is directly related to the force exerted by the spring as per Newton's second law of motion, which states that Force (F) equals mass (m) times acceleration (a), or F = ma.

The acceleration of the toy rocket while being pushed by the spring can only be calculated if the force exerted by the spring is known. Additionally, this acceleration influences the time duration of contact between the spring and the rocket. Without this force information, you cannot determine the acceleration, and consequently, the duration of contact time.

Hence, the correct answer is B) You are correct; the force of the spring is necessary. Your friend's suggestion of needing only the mass and the height does not account for the acceleration process happening during the spring's contact with the rocket.