4. I drop a pufferfish of mass 5 kg from a height of 5.5 m onto an upright spring of total length 0.5 m and spring constant 3000 N/m (such that the pufferfish first encounters the spring after it has descended a distance of 5 m). a. Assuming no energy loss to friction, what is the minimum height above the ground that the pufferfish reaches? h (A) h h (B) b. Now, assume that the pufferfish begins to bounce less and less high each time as it loses energy to heat. At what height does it eventually come to rest? c. When the pufferfish reaches this equilibrium state, what quantity of each type of energy (kinetic, spring potential, gravitational potential, internal/heat) remains in the system?

a)  0.28 m or 28 cm is the minimum  height above ground the fish reaches.

b)  at the height of 0.484 m height , the pufferfish will eventually come to rest.

c) There exists  two types of energy remain at the equilibrium point in the system. These are :

Gravitational potential energy  = 23.72J

Spring potential energy   = 0.384 J

Explanation:

Given that :

Mass of the pufferfish m =5kg

initial height of the fish h =5.5m

length of the spring l =0.5m

Spring constant K =3000N/m

a)

Assuming no energy loss to friction, what is the minimum height above the ground that the pufferfish reaches?

Lets assume that the minimum height the fish reaches is = x meters

Now by using the conservation of energy; we realize that :

Initial total energy = final total energy

Gravitational potential energy =

Gravitational potential energy' + Spring potential energy (kinetic energy is zero in both cases)

Replacing our given values into the above equation; we have :

269.5 = 47.5 x + 1500(0.5 -x )²

269.5 = 47.5 x + 1500(0.25 - x²)

269.5 = 47.5 x + 375 - 1500 x²

269.5 - 375 = 47.5 x - 1500 x²

-105.5 = 47.5 x - 1500 x²

-105.5 + 1500 x² - 47.5 x = 0

1500 x² - 47.5 x - 105.5 = 0

By using quadratic equation and taking the positive value;

x = 0.28 m or 28 cm is the minimum height above ground the fish reaches.

b)

At the equilibrium position the weight of fish will be equal to the force applied by the spring thus

mg = kx

substituting  our given values ; we have:

(5)(9.8) = 3000x

x = 61.22

x = 0.016m  : so this is the compression in the spring

Now; to determine the height  the pufferfish gets to before  it eventually come to rest; we have

(0.5-0.016) m = 0.484m

therefore, at the height of 0.484 m height , the pufferfish will eventually come to rest.

c)

There exists  two types of energy remain at the equilibrium point in the system. These are :

Gravitational potential energy  = mgh' = (5)(9.8)(0.484)

= 23.72J

and spring potential energy