Question

Sections 13.1 13.4 12 / Question 2 In part (a) of the figure, an air track cart attached to a spring rests on the track at the position Xequilibrium and the spring is relaxed. In (b), the cart is pulled to the position Xstart and released. It then oscillates about Xequilibrium. Which graph correctly represents the potential energy of the spring as a function of the position of the cart? star Nqusbm start og 3 sart Nquli hor ha stan Nequilsber a are A 5 6 Sections 13.1 13.4 12/ 14 dx

Answer 1

We know that the potential energy at the equilibrium is zero because the stretched length of the spring is zero.
while at the extreme points potential energy is maximum.
As shown in the figure.
Hence the correct graph would be 3.

PE = minimum PE = ZERO PE = maximum PE- maximum maximum