Concept explainers
In action movies there are often chase scenes in which a car becomes airborne. When the car lands, its four suspension springs, one on each wheel, are compressed by the impact. For a typical passenger car, the suspension springs each have a spring constant of about 500 lb/in. and a maximum compression of 6 in. Using this information, estimate the maximum height from which a 3300 lb car could be dropped without the suspension springs exceeding their maximum compression. Assume that the mass of the car is distributed evenly among the four suspension springs.
Want to see the full answer?
Check out a sample textbook solutionChapter 7 Solutions
College Physics (10th Edition)
Additional Science Textbook Solutions
University Physics with Modern Physics (14th Edition)
College Physics
Conceptual Physics (12th Edition)
Sears And Zemansky's University Physics With Modern Physics
Conceptual Integrated Science
- The spring constant of an automotive suspension spring increases with increasing load due to a spring coil that is widest at the bottom, smoothly tapering to a smaller diameter near the top. The result is a softer ride on normal road surfaces from the wider coils, but the car does not bottom out on bumps because when the lower coils collapse, the stiffer coils near the top absorb the load. For such springs, the force exerted by the spring can be empirically found to be given by F = axb. For a tapered spiral spring that compresses 12.9 cm with a 1 000-N load and 31.5 cm with a 5 000-N load, (a) evaluate the constants a and b in the empirical equation for F and (b) find the work needed to compress the spring 25.0 cm.arrow_forwardA light spring with spring constant 1 200 N/m is hung from an elevated support. From its lower end hangs a second light spring, which has spring constant 1 800 N/m. An object of mass 1.50 kg is hung at rest from the lower end of the second spring. (a) Find the total extension distance of the pair of springs. (b) Find the effective spring constant of the pair of springs as a system. We describe these springs as in series.arrow_forwardCheck Your Understanding Suppose the mass in Equation 8.6 is doubled while keeping the all other conditions the same. Would the maximum expansion of the spring increase, decrease, or remain the same? Would the speed at point B be larger, smaller, or the same compared to the original mass?arrow_forward
- At 220 m, the bungee jump at the Verzasca Dam in Locarno, Switzerland, is one of the highest jumps on record. The length of the elastic cord, which can be modeled as having negligible mass and obeying Hookes law, has to be precisely tailored to each jumper because the margin of error at the bottom of the dam is less than 10.0 m. Kristin prepares for her jump by first hanging at rest from a 10.0-m length of the cord and is observed to stretch the rope to a total length of 12.5 m. a. What length of cord should Kristin use for her jump to be exactly 220 m? b. What is the maximum acceleration she will experience during her jump?arrow_forwardA small 0.65-kg box is launched from rest by a horizontal spring as shown in Figure P9.50. The block slides on a track down a hill and comes to rest at a distance d from the base of the hill. The coefficient of kinetic friction between the box and the track is 0.35 along the entire track. The spring has a spring constant of 34.5 N/m, and is compressed 30.0 cm with the box attached. The block remains on the track at all times. a. What would you include in the system? Explain your choice. b. Calculate d. c. Compare your answer with your answer to Problem 50 if you did that problem.arrow_forwardA block of mass 0.250 kg is placed on top of a light, vertical spring of force constant 5 000 N/m and pushed downward so that the spring is compressed by 0.100 m. After the block is released from rest, it travels upward and then leaves the spring. To what maximum height above the point of release does it rise?arrow_forward
- A bungee cord is essentially a very long rubber band that can stretch up to four times its unstretched length. However, its spring constant vanes over its stretch [see Menz, P.G. “The Physics of Bungee Jumping.” The Physics Teacher (November 1993) 31: 483-487]. Take the length of the cord to be along the direction and define the stretch as the length of the cord minus its un-stretched length that is, (see below). Suppose a particular bungee cord has a spring constant, for of and for. (Recall that the of (Recall that the spring constant is the slope of the force versus its stretch (a) What is the tension in the cord when the stretch is 16.7 m (the maximum desired for a given jump)? (b) How much work must be done against the elastic force of the bungee cord to stretch It 16.7 m? Figure 7.16 (credit modification of work by Graeme Churchard)arrow_forwardA certain uniform spring has spring constant k. Now the spring is cut in half. What is the relationship between k and the spring constant k of each resulting smaller spring? Explain your reasoning.arrow_forwardConsider the data for a block of mass m = 0.250 kg given in Table P16.59. Friction is negligible. a. What is the mechanical energy of the blockspring system? b. Write expressions for the kinetic and potential energies as functions of time. c. Plot the kinetic energy, potential energy, and mechanical energy as functions of time on the same set of axes. Problems 5965 are grouped. 59. G Table P16.59 gives the position of a block connected to a horizontal spring at several times. Sketch a motion diagram for the block. Table P16.59arrow_forward
- In the reality television show “Amazing Race” (https://openstaxcollege.org/l/2lamazraceclip), a contestant is firing 12-kg watermelons from a slingshot to hit targets down the field. The slingshot is pulled back 1.5 m and the watermelon is considered to be at ground level. The launch point is 0.3 m from the ground and the targets are 10 m horizontally away. Calculate the spring constant of the slingshot.arrow_forwardWhy is the following situation impossible? In a new casino, a supersized pinball machine is introduced. Casino advertising boasts that a professional basketball player can lie on top of the machine and his head and feet will not hang off the edge! The ball launcher in the machine sends metal balls up one side of the machine and then into play. The spring in the launcher (Fig. P6.60) has a force constant of 1.20 N/cm. The surface on which the ball moves is inclined = 10.0 with respect to the horizontal. The spring is initially compressed its maximum distance d = 5.00 cm. A ball of mass 100 g is projected into play by releasing the plunger. Casino visitors find the play of the giant machine quite exciting.arrow_forward
- Principles of Physics: A Calculus-Based TextPhysicsISBN:9781133104261Author:Raymond A. Serway, John W. JewettPublisher:Cengage LearningPhysics for Scientists and Engineers: Foundations...PhysicsISBN:9781133939146Author:Katz, Debora M.Publisher:Cengage LearningUniversity Physics Volume 1PhysicsISBN:9781938168277Author:William Moebs, Samuel J. Ling, Jeff SannyPublisher:OpenStax - Rice University
- Physics for Scientists and Engineers, Technology ...PhysicsISBN:9781305116399Author:Raymond A. Serway, John W. JewettPublisher:Cengage LearningPhysics for Scientists and Engineers with Modern ...PhysicsISBN:9781337553292Author:Raymond A. Serway, John W. JewettPublisher:Cengage LearningPhysics for Scientists and EngineersPhysicsISBN:9781337553278Author:Raymond A. Serway, John W. JewettPublisher:Cengage Learning