A 5000 kg railcar hits a bumper (a spring) at 1 m/s, and the spring compresses by 0.1 m. Assume no damping. a) Find k.
b) Find out how far does the spring compress when a 10000 kg railcar hits the spring at the same speed.
c) If the spring would break if it compresses further than 0.3 m, what is the maximum mass of a railcar that can hit it at 1 m/s?
d) What is the maximum mass of a railcar that can hit the spring without breaking at 2 m/s?