FYKOS Year 30 Series 5 Problem 4 — on a string · FYKOS 30 #30.5.4

Physics · mechanics

Problem

Two masses of negligible dimensions and mass

m=100g

are connected by a massless string with rest length

l_{0}=1\;\mathrm{m}

and spring constant

k=50\;\mathrm{kg}\cdot \mathrm{s}^{−2}

. One of the masses is held fixed and the other rotates around it with frequency

f=2\;\mathrm{Hz}

. The first mass can rotate freely around its axis. At one point the fixed mass is released. Find the minimal separation of the two masses during the resulting motion. Do not consider the effects of gravity and assume the validity of Hook's law.

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