Answer to Question #115956 in Classical Mechanics for james

Question

an accelerometer consists of a 50.0g object sliding on a frictionless horizontal surface. The object is attached to spring . When the object subjected to a steady acceleration of 0.80g. The object moves to x=5.0 cm away from its equilibrium position. Calculate the change in the elastic potential energy of the system.

Answer 1

Balancing forces

$kx=ma$

$k\times0.05=50\times10^{-3}\times0.8\times10$

$k=80$

change in elastic potential energy = $\frac12kx^2=\frac12\times80\times0.05\times0.05=0.1 J$