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Noah asked in Science & MathematicsPhysics · 6 years ago

How to find mass from kinetic energy graph?

If you are given a kinetic energy vs time graph, for a particle doing SHM how do you find the mass? (maximum kinetic energy is 1.6 J and the period of the motion is 8 s if that helps)

1 Answer

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  • 6 years ago

    You can't do it unless you are told (or can find) the amplitude, A.

    x = Asin(ωt)

    v = dx/dt = Aωcos(ωt)

    v² = A²ω²cos²(ωt)

    KE = ½mv² = ½mA²ω²cos²(ωt)

    The largest vaue of cos²(ωt)=1 and so

    KEmax = ½mA²ω²

    ω = 2π/T = 2π/8 = 0.7854 rad/s

    1.6 = ½mA²0.7854²

    from which you can find m if you know A.

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