In: Physics
A 10kg weight is attached to a wall horizontally via a spring. The rest (equilibrium) length of the spring is 0.2m. The spring has stiffness coefficient k = 50. The weight drags along the ground, giving an effective damping coefficient of b = 40. We will ignore gravity and all other outside forces on the spring. If the weight is pulled to a position 0.5m away from the wall (thus +0.3m past equilibrium) and then flicked toward the wall at 2m/s.
a. How close is the weight to the wall after 1 second?
b. What is the closest the weight gets to the wall?