Spring Stretch in Car Towing: How Far Does the Spring Extend?

AI Thread Summary
The discussion focuses on calculating the stretch of a spring in a towing scenario involving a car and a 92 kg trailer, with an acceleration of 0.3 m/s² and a spring constant of 2300 N/m. The calculation uses the formula Fs = kx, leading to the equation (92 kg)(0.3 m/s²) = 2300x, resulting in a stretch of x = 0.012 m. Participants confirm that the approach is valid but note it relies on assumptions about unit consistency and constant acceleration. Additionally, they highlight that real-world conditions may cause variations in spring length. The analysis emphasizes the importance of these assumptions in physics problems.
zachattackback
9
0

Homework Statement


A car towing a 92 kg trailor with a spring between the car and the trailor. the accelertion of the car is .3. the spring constant is 2300
how far is the spring stretched


Homework Equations


Fs=kx


The Attempt at a Solution



Fs=kx
ma=kx
(92)(.3)=2300x
x=.012m

i am not sure if that was legal
 
Physics news on Phys.org
zachattackback said:

Homework Statement


A car towing a 92 kg trailor with a spring between the car and the trailor. the accelertion of the car is .3. the spring constant is 2300
how far is the spring stretched


Homework Equations


Fs=kx


The Attempt at a Solution



Fs=kx
ma=kx
(92)(.3)=2300x
x=.012m

i am not sure if that was legal

It is legal, but it rests on several assumptions.

1) That the units of a are m/s²

2) That the units of k are N/m

3) That the acceleration of the trailor is constant- the length of the spring is constant. In reality, it would not be if the car started moving with constant acceleration at some point in time.
 
thanks for the help
 
Thread 'Minimum mass of a block'

Thread 'Minimum mass of a block'

Here we know that if block B is going to move up or just be at the verge of moving up will act downwards and maximum static friction will act downwards Now what im confused by is how will we know " how quickly" block B reaches its maximum static friction value without any numbers, the suggested solution says that when block A is at its maximum extension, then block B will start to move up but with a certain set of values couldn't block A reach...
View full post »

Thread 'Electric field due to charges between 2 parallel infinite planes'

TL;DR Summary: Find Electric field due to charges between 2 parallel infinite planes using Gauss law at any point Here's the diagram. We have a uniform p (rho) density of charges between 2 infinite planes in the cartesian coordinates system. I used a cube of thickness a that spans from z=-a/2 to z=a/2 as a Gaussian surface, each side of the cube has area A. I know that the field depends only on z since there is translational invariance in x and y directions because the planes are...
View full post »
Thread 'Calculation of Tensile Forces in Piston-Type Water-Lifting Devices at Elevated Locations'

Thread 'Calculation of Tensile Forces in Piston-Type Water-Lifting Devices at Elevated Locations'

Figure 1 Overall Structure Diagram Figure 2: Top view of the piston when it is cylindrical A circular opening is created at a height of 5 meters above the water surface. Inside this opening is a sleeve-type piston with a cross-sectional area of 1 square meter. The piston is pulled to the right at a constant speed. The pulling force is（Figure 2）： F = ρshg = 1000 × 1 × 5 × 10 = 50,000 N. Figure 3: Modifying the structure to incorporate a fixed internal piston When I modify the piston...
View full post »

Similar threads

Calculating Initial Height of a Falling Safe on a Spring
Replies
5
Views
2K
Spring Stretch in Circular Motion
Replies
1
Views
2K
Suspension: Spring Constant Calculation for 500 kg Car
Replies
5
Views
2K
Spring constant of a car on springs
Replies
7
Views
7K
Minimum spring force required to keep a car level
Replies
34
Views
5K
Shm , calculation of amplitude of spring mass system
Replies
3
Views
2K
Solve Spring Stretch on 30° Ramp, 20kg, 500N/m, Friction 0.3/.2
Replies
6
Views
3K
Updating the suspension of a car
Replies
3
Views
1K
Calculating Spring Stretch on a Ramp with Varying Acceleration and Friction
Replies
3
Views
2K
Two carts connected with a spring -- working with forces and acceleration
Replies
14
Views
3K

Hot Threads

Recent Insights

Back
Top