Force problem

Thread Starter

braddy

Joined Dec 29, 2004
83
Hi,
I try to solve the following problem but my answer does not correspond to the solution of the textbook. Please help me to understand the problem:

The net force acting on a particle depends on the position of the particle along the x-axis according the relation F=F0+C*x, where F0=5N and C=-2N/m. The particle is initially at rest at x=0m when the force begins to act.
a- Calculate the work done by the force when the particle reaches x values 1,2,3and 4 m?
b- Determine any positions ( besides x=0m ) where the work done is zero.


I have problem for the question a.
What I did is to compute F1=F0+C*(1) [for x=1m]
that gives me F1=5-2=3N
So the work for F1 is W1= F1*(1)=3J
However the answer in the textbook it w1=4J I dont know how they get that.
Thank you for your time.
B
 

haditya

Joined Jan 19, 2004
220
the force is a function of the displacement and hence one cannot directly multiply the force iwth the displacement
istead integrate F*dx from 0 to the final position to get the actual work done
a similar approach can be used for part b
 

Thread Starter

braddy

Joined Dec 29, 2004
83
Originally posted by haditya@Oct 14 2005, 11:05 PM
the force is a function of the displacement and hence  one cannot directly multiply the force iwth the displacement
istead integrate F*dx from 0 to the final position to get the actual work done
a similar approach can be used for  part b
[post=11005]Quoted post[/post]​
YES! thanks a lot I just tried the first value and I found the good value!
 
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