A 500 gm mass is attached to a string 50 cm long to make a pendulum. If the pendulum mass is pulled to the right, such that the string makes an angle of 35° with the vertical, what is
(a) the maximum potential energy?
(b) the maximum kinetic energy?
Amy
I'll assume that the mass is then released from rest at that 35° position and allowed to swing.
Don't worry about the pendulum motion. You don't need to calculate that.
Potential energy is mgh. You know m and g. Do some trigonometry to calculate h.
Energy is conserved. What are the INITIAL potential and kinetic energies? What is the minimum potential energy? Therefore what is the kinetic energy at that same position?