Question

A spring 1.7 m long with force constant 525 N/m is hung from the ceiling of an elevator, and a block of mass 15 kg is attached to the bottom of the spring.

(a) By how much is the spring stretched when the block is slowly lowered to its equilibrium point?

(b) Referring to your answer in Part (a), is the block below or above its equilibrium position?

(c) If the elevator subsequently accelerates upward at 2.00 m/s², what is the position of the block, taking the equilibrium position found in part (a) as y = 0 and upwards as the positive y-direction.

(d) If the elevator cable snaps during the acceleration, the block will be at rest relative to the elevator. What is the amplitude of its motion then relative to its unstretch position?

Answer 1