Conservation of Energy
A sling shot, which has a band stiffness of 125 N/m, is pulled back 0.15m. If the pellet/rock weighs 100 grams, what is the velocity of the pellet/rock immediately after release?
Expand Hint
Kinetic Energy:
$$$KE=\frac{1}{2}mv^2$$$
where
$$m$$
is the mass, and
$$v$$
is the velocity.
Hint 2
Potential Energy:
$$$PE=\frac{1}{2}kx^2$$$
where
$$k$$
is the spring constant/stiffness, and
$$x$$
is the spring’s change in length from un-deformed to deformed.
This problem can be solved using the conversion of Potential Energy into kinetic. Because the sling shot acts like a spring, the potential energy is:
$$$PE=\frac{1}{2}kx^2$$$
where
$$k$$
is the spring constant/stiffness, and
$$x$$
is the spring’s change in length from un-deformed to deformed.
$$$PE=\frac{1}{2}\cdot 125\frac{N}{m}\cdot (0.15m)^{2}=1.4\:J$$$
Once released, the pellet/rock will be converted to Kinetic Energy:
$$$KE=\frac{1}{2}mv^2$$$
where
$$m$$
is the mass, and
$$v$$
is the velocity.
$$$KE=\frac{1}{2}(0.1kg)v^2=(0.05)v^2$$$
Assuming energy is conserved, then
$$PE=KE$$
:
$$$1.4\:\frac{kg\cdot m^2}{s^2}=(0.05\:kg)v^2$$$
$$$v^2=28\:\frac{m^2}{s^2}\Rightarrow v=\sqrt{28m^2/s^2}=5.3\:m/s$$$
5.3 m/s
Time Analysis
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