- #1
Rulonegger
- 16
- 0
Homework Statement
A particle with mass m which can move only in one dimension, is subject to a constant force
[tex]F= \begin{cases}-F_{0} && x>0\\F_{0} && x<0\end{cases}[/tex] with [itex]F_{0}>0[/itex].
First I've got to say if there is a potential energy. Then i must solve the particle dynamics (i.e. find v(t) and x(t) for all t), finding the period of the oscillatory motion in terms of the mass m, the force [itex]F_{0}[/itex] and some amplitude coefficient A.
Homework Equations
Supposing that there is a potential U, it must satisfy that
[tex]\vec{F}=-\nabla{U}[/tex]
just pointing out that the potential (if it exists) shouldn't be derivable in x=0, just like the function [itex]|x|[/itex].
The Attempt at a Solution
When i try to write down the equations of motion, and i solve for x, i get that the position is linearly proportional to the time t plus some quadratic dependence of the time, so i don't know where the oscillatory motion comes from.