Chronology Current Month Current Thread Current Date
[Year List] [Month List (current year)] [Date Index] [Thread Index] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Date Prev] [Date Next]

Re: [Phys-l] Figuring Physics in the March TPT The Physics Teacher



John Mallinckrodt wrote:

...assuming that the potential energy is given by 1/2 kx^2, ... is incorrect because the stretching isn't linear. They effectively rederive the standard "add 1/3 of the mass of the spring" result...
My own solution to the problem is available at

http://www.csupomona.edu/~ajm/special/Dec08TPT.pdf

...

A. JOHN "Slo" MALLINCKRODT

Professor Emeritus of Physics
I evidently have not been paying attention, merely noting that John's contributions have been less frequent lately.
So it was a surprise to see ..Emeritus.

John mentions the several modes available to a spring. This reminds me of the difficulty of making a spring
and mass whose torsional resonance is near its resonance in displacement. Once made though, it demonstrates
the interchange of kinetic energy, as I recall.

Brian W