Question

Jaden places potatoes with a mass of 0.55 kilograms on a grocer's scale. The spring is displaced by 1.2 centimeters. He then places some onions on the scale that displace the spring by 0.67 cm. What is the mass of the onions (1 kg=9.8 N)? 5.39 kg 3.01 kg 0.67 kg 0.31 kg

Answer 1

.31 kg

Explanation:

F=kx

F = the force of the spring

k = the spring constant

x = the spring displacement (stretch or compression)

we also know that 1 kg = 9.8 N which also means that 9.8(kg)=F

let's first find the force of the first problem, which is .55 kg. Using the formula 9.8(kg)=F we can do 9.8(.55)=F which would mean the force is 5.39 N

so 5.39=k(1.2 centimeters)

Now we need to convert centimeters to meters. This would make 1.2 into .012m. Now our problem is 5.39=k(.012)

divide 5.39 by .012 to get 449.17

our k is 449.17

Now for our problem, we are going to find the mass.

Do this by putting what we already know into the problem.

F=449.17(.67 centimeters)

Now we already know we need to convert centimeters to meters which will make our formula F=449.17(.0067m)

This will result in F=3.01 but the problem is asking for mass, not force.

Use the formula 9.8(kg)=F

9.8(kg)=3.01

kg=.31

solution: .31 kg