All Problems

Laws of Conservation

Problem 1.153

A system consists of two identical cubes, each of mass \(m\) linked together by the compressed weightless spring of stiffness \(x\) (Fig. 1.41). The cubes are also connected by a thread which is burned through at a certain moment. Find: (a) at what values of \(\Delta l\), the initial compression of the spring, the lower cube will bounce up after the thread has been burned through: (b) to what height \(h\) the centre of gravity of this system will rise if the initial compression of the spring \(\Delta l=7 \mathrm{mg} / \mathrm{x}\)

Reveal Answer
(a) \(\Delta l>3 m g / x\) (b) \(h=(1+x \Delta l / m g)^{2} m g / 8 x=8 m g / x\)