Question

After driving a portion of the route, the taptap is fully loaded with a total of 27 people including the driver, with an average mass of 69 kg per person. In addition, there are three 15-kg goats, five 3-kg chickens, and a total of 25 kg of bananas on their way to the market. Assume that the springs have somehow not yet compressed to their maximum amount. How much are the springs compressed?

Answer 1

69 kg * g = -k (1.6*10-2) <-------------- (Assuming, since you didn't give, change accordingly)

-676.2 N = -0.016 k (the force is negative because gravity is downward)

k = 42262.5 N/m

First, solve for the total mass loaded onto the taptap:

m = (27 * 69) + (3 * 15) + (5 * 3) + 25 = 1948 kg

And the gravitational force (the weight of everything loaded in the taptap) is:

F = ma = 1948 *9.8 = -19090.4 N (negative because the force is downward)

Using the k, solve for x:

F = -kx

-19090.4 = -42262.5 X x

X = 0.45 m