A .20 kilogram mass is sliding on a horizontal, frictionless air track with a speed of 3.0 meters per second when it instantaneously hits and sticks to a 1.3 kilogram mass initially at rest on the track. The 1.3 kilogram mass is connected to one end of a massless spring, which has a spring constant of 100 newtons per meter. The other end of the spring is fixed.
a. Determine the linear momentum and kinetic energy for the .2 kilogram mass immediately before the impact.
b. Determine the linear momentum and kinetic energy for the combined mass immediately after the impact.
After the collision, the two masses undergo simple harmonic motion about their position at impact.
c. Determine the amplitude of the harmonic motion.
d. Determine the period of the harmonic motion.
I got the following answers:
a. .6 kgm/s for momentum. .9J for energy.
b. .6 kgm/s for momentum. .12J for energy.
d. .77s for period.
I'm unsure of how to find the amplitude in part c. I'm probably overlooking a formula.
Can anyone lend a hand?
By the way, this is from the 1995B AP Physics test.
a. Determine the linear momentum and kinetic energy for the .2 kilogram mass immediately before the impact.
b. Determine the linear momentum and kinetic energy for the combined mass immediately after the impact.
After the collision, the two masses undergo simple harmonic motion about their position at impact.
c. Determine the amplitude of the harmonic motion.
d. Determine the period of the harmonic motion.
I got the following answers:
a. .6 kgm/s for momentum. .9J for energy.
b. .6 kgm/s for momentum. .12J for energy.
d. .77s for period.
I'm unsure of how to find the amplitude in part c. I'm probably overlooking a formula.
Can anyone lend a hand?
By the way, this is from the 1995B AP Physics test.