- #1
Karol
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Homework Statement
2 masses moving on a friction less surface. one of 2 kg moving at a speed of 10 and one of 6 kg moving at the speed of 4. at the back of the heavier one is a spring with a constant k=800.
What is the maximum shortening of the spring
Homework Equations
Conservation of momentum: [itex]m_1v_1+m_2v_2=m_1u_1+m_2u_2[/itex]
Conservation of energy: [itex]\frac{1}{2}mv^2=mgh[/itex]
Elastic energy in s spring: [itex]E=\frac{1}{2}kx^2[/itex]
The Attempt at a Solution
At the maximum shortening the velocities are equal:
Conservation of energy:
[tex]\frac{1}{2}\cdot 2 \cdot 100=\frac{1}{2}\cdot 800 \cdot x^2+\frac{1}{2}\cdot 8 \cdot u^2[/tex]
Conservation of momentum:
[tex]2 \cdot 10=8 \cdot u[/tex]
Those give x=0.43 while it should be 0.259