Question

An ideal spring is mounted horizontally, with its left end fixed. The force constant of the spring is 170 N/m. A glider of mass 1.2 kg is attached to the free end of the spring. The glider is pulled toward

asked Dec 13, 2021 206k views

An ideal spring is mounted horizontally, with its left end fixed. The force constant of the spring is 170 N/m. A glider of mass 1.2 kg is attached to the free end of the spring. The glider is pulled toward the right along a frictionless air track, and then released. Now the glider is moving in simple harmonic motion with amplitude 0.045 m. The motion is horizontal (one-dimensional).

Suddenly, Slimer holding an apple flies in and approaches the glider. Slimer drops the apple vertically onto the glider from a very small height. The apple sticks to the glider. The mass of the apple is 0.18 kg.
Recall that the total mechanical energy is E = 1/2 mv^2 + 1/2 kx^2 = 1/2 kA^2 = constant
(a) Calculate the new amplitude of the motion of the glider with apple if the apple is dropped at the moment when the glider passes through its equilibrium position, x = 0 m.
Hints: The total energy of the glider just before the collision is E = 1/2mglider v^2 = 1/2KA^2
The apple sticks to the glider in a completely inelastic collision. The glider is now moving with the apple but at a lower speed. The linear momentum is conserved. Write a corresponding equation.
Also, assume that the collision is very short, so just before the collision the glider is at x = 0 m, and just after the collision the glider and apple are still at x = 0 m. Therefore, the total energy of the glider just after the collision is Enew = 1/2mglider + applev^2new = 1/2kA^2new
(b) Calculate the period of the motion of the glider and the period of the motion of the glider with apple.
Hint: it's a very simple question.