So I'm doing a lab about simple harmonic information and I have to answer questions at the end of a lab were I'm provided this question to answer

here's a step that's not the actual question but the question makes reference to it

step 3
Using the pointer and the scale, note the equilibrium position of your mass on the spring, pull the mass down a given distance, record it, and release the mass. Record the position that the mass rises to. Do this for each mass.

Here's a question that asked me about step 3 which is not the actual question I have but my answer helps answer my question

So here was question 1

How did the distance above and below the equilibrium positions compare for each of the masses in step 3?

here's my answer

1. When we performed step three in the procedure that when we pulled the mass spring system down 4.0 cm from the equilibrium position with mass that it went past this equilibrium position 4.0 cm. For every single different mass that was used to conduct this experiment the same thing also occurred.

HERE'S MY QUESTION...

Using your experimentally determined spring constant, your largest mass, and your amplitude for that mass from step 3, calculate
a. The total eneergy of your spring-mass system;
b. the velocity of the mass when it passes through its equilibrium position (E total = E kinetic)
C. The potential energy and kinetic energy of your Simple Harmonic Oscillator when its displacement is half the amplitude. (x=A/2 E potential = 1/2 kx^2 & E total = E potential + E kinetic)
d. The velocity of the mass when it displacemnt is half the amplitude.

ok and heres my data

largest mass = .117 kg
Amplitude = 4.0 cm
100 cm = m
(4.0 cm) / (100 cm) = .04 m

here's all of my data on for this mass that I don't may help or may not help asnwer this question

Force of gravity = -.49 N

x (this distance is the x I pulled down the spring to find the observed period that I found by finding the time for 10 oscillations) = -.01 m

spring constant k = 49 N/m

T observed = .33 s

T calculated = .20s

Ok I don't know how to answer these questions... I don't know what formula to use for E total when it's not direcly given in the question like in point a

If you could please show me how to do this and all of the formulas used and proper sig figs....

Thank you for the help!

i don't know why it's not posting Oo

Try posting just the part missing. We're listening.

You can not copy and paste on to this screen unless you are a teacher Kelly.

Sure! Let's break down each part of the question and go through the formulas step by step:

a. To calculate the total energy of the spring-mass system (E_total), you can use the formula:

E_total = (1/2) k A^2

Where:
- k is the spring constant (already given as 49 N/m)
- A is the amplitude of the spring (given as 4.0 cm = 0.04 m)

Plugging in the values into the equation, we get:
E_total = (1/2) * 49 N/m * (0.04 m)^2 = 0.0392 J

Since the spring constant (k) and amplitude (A) were given with two significant figures, the final answer should also have two significant figures. Therefore, E_total = 0.039 J.

b. To calculate the velocity of the mass when it passes through its equilibrium position, we'll equate the total energy to the kinetic energy. The formula for kinetic energy is:

E_kinetic = (1/2) m v^2

Where:
- m is the mass (given as 0.117 kg)
- v is the velocity we want to calculate

Setting E_total equal to E_kinetic, we get:
E_total = E_kinetic
(1/2) k A^2 = (1/2) m v^2

Rearranging the equation to isolate v, we have:
v^2 = (k/m) A^2

Plugging in the given values, we get:
v^2 = (49 N/m) / (0.117 kg) * (0.04 m)^2
v^2 = 67.521 m^2/s^2

To find v, we can take the square root of both sides:
v = √(67.521 m^2/s^2) = 8.22 m/s (rounded to three significant figures)

c. To calculate the potential energy (E_potential) and kinetic energy (E_kinetic) when the displacement is half the amplitude (x = A/2), you can use the formulas:

E_potential = (1/2) k x^2
E_total = E_potential + E_kinetic

Given that x = A/2, which is (0.04 m)/2 = 0.02 m, we can plug this value into the equations.

For E_potential:
E_potential = (1/2) (49 N/m) (0.02 m)^2 = 0.0196 J

For E_total, we can use the given value of E_total from part a:
E_total = 0.039 J

Since E_total = E_potential + E_kinetic, we can solve for E_kinetic:
E_kinetic = E_total - E_potential
E_kinetic = 0.039 J - 0.0196 J = 0.0194 J

d. To calculate the velocity of the mass when the displacement is half the amplitude, we can use the formula from part b:

v^2 = (k/m) A^2

Since the displacement (x) is now half the amplitude (A/2), which is 0.02 m, we can plug this value into the equation to solve for v.

v^2 = (49 N/m) / (0.117 kg) * (0.02 m)^2
v^2 = 6.624 m^2/s^2

Taking the square root of both sides to find v, we get:
v = √(6.624 m^2/s^2) = 2.57 m/s (rounded to three significant figures)

Remember to adjust the number of significant figures in your final answers according to the given values.