Question

A student uses a motion detector to study the kinematics of a block suspended on a vertical spring that obeys Hooke’s law. The student pulls the block a distance y from equilibrium, releases it from rest, and records the speed v of the block as it passes the equilibrium position. The student repeats this process several times for different values of y. Which variables should be plotted on the horizontal and vertical axes to yield a linear graph?

Answer 1

When the speed of the block is plotted on the vertical axis and displacement of the block plotted on the horizontal axis, a linear graph will be obtained showing the inverse relationship between the speed of the block and the displacement of the block.

Hooke's law

Hooke's law states that force or load applied to elastic material is directly proportional to the extension produced in the material. This law can be written as;

F = kx

where;

• F is the applied force
• k is spring constant
• x is extension of the material

Velocity of the block

The speed of the block increases with decreasing displacement of the bock. This is because the kinetic energy of the block is maximum at zero displacement and minimum at maximum displacement of the block.

Thus, when the speed of the block is plotted on the vertical axis and displacement of the block plotted on the horizontal axis, a linear graph will be obtained showing the inverse relationship between the speed of the block and the displacement of the block.

Learn more about Hooke's law here: https://brainly.com/question/2648431