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Re: new problem



Hey, good idea Chip. Let's all share our favorites. That way none of us
will get any work done. ;-) Here's one of mine:

A body of mass m is constrained to move freely along the positive x-axis.
Its potential energy is given by

U(x) = ax^2 + b/x^2

a) Sketch a plot of U(x).

b) Find the period for small oscillations about the stable equilibrium
position.

c) Sketch a reasonably accurate plot of x(t) for very large oscillations.

d) Use the insight gained from your sketch in part c to find an
approximate value for the period of very large oscillations.

e) Discuss and explore the suggestive results of parts b and d.

----------------------------------------------------------------
A. John Mallinckrodt email: mallinckrodt@csupomona.edu
Professor of Physics voice: 909-869-4054
Cal Poly Pomona fax: 909-869-5090
Pomona, CA 91768 office: Building 8, Room 223
web: http://www.sci.csupomona.edu/~mallinckrodt/