I'm having a lot of trouble with this question, i can't think of where to start and i would really appreciate some help.
Consider an ideal spring-mass system. A spring obeying Hooke's law can be deformed only along a given direction (X axis) has one of its ends fixed and the other free, where a mass m is attached and can move. Use a coordinate system where the mass coordinate also indicates the spring deformation. (1) In a general way, describe in this coordinate system all the pertinent vectors just after the mass starts moving. (2) Use Newton's second law to determine the trajectory of mass m after it is released from rest with the spring stretched (positive strain) by A0 units of length and comment on your results. (3) Calculate the mechanical energy, as well as each of its parts, explicitly as a function of time and comment on your results. (4) Qualitatively, comment on the modifications introduced by placing this spring-mass system in a fluid, such as the atmosphere, for example.
Consider an ideal spring-mass system. A spring obeying Hooke's law can be deformed only along a given direction (X axis) has one of its ends fixed and the other free, where a mass m is attached and can move. Use a coordinate system where the mass coordinate also indicates the spring deformation. (1) In a general way, describe in this coordinate system all the pertinent vectors just after the mass starts moving. (2) Use Newton's second law to determine the trajectory of mass m after it is released from rest with the spring stretched (positive strain) by A0 units of length and comment on your results. (3) Calculate the mechanical energy, as well as each of its parts, explicitly as a function of time and comment on your results. (4) Qualitatively, comment on the modifications introduced by placing this spring-mass system in a fluid, such as the atmosphere, for example.
