Question

In an experiment, a student suspends a 650g weight using a long spring mounted vertically to a lab stand, causing the spring to stretch as much as 12 cm after reaching equilibrium (at rest).

She then pulls the weight at equilibrium position down for 9 cm and let go to set it into oscillation. Assuming this is an ideal system such that there is no loss (leaking) in energy such that the spring will oscillate forever?

At which position does the maximum speed occur? Express your answer in cm, and in absolute value.

Answer 1

since it is a spring mass system, the object will undergo simple harmonic motion.

now, the minimum speed of the particle will be at the points where the maximum force due to the spring acts, whiic are the end points of it's motion. The maximum speed will occur at the point where the spring has no extension and the entire energy of the system is stored in the kinetic energy of the body. Hence, the maximum speed will occur at the equilibrium position(12cm below the original point)