An oscillator with a mass of 281 g has a speed of 119.1 cm/s when its displacement is 2.80 cm and 34.2 cm/s when its displacement is 7.80 cm. What is the oscillator's maximum speed (in m/s)?

Answer 1

Conservation of energy tells you that:

(1/2)k(2.80)^2 + (1/2)m(119.1)^2 =
(1/2)k(7.80)^2 + (1/2)m(34.2)^2

m (the mass) is known; solve for the spring constant, k.

Then compute the maximum energy, which is the sum of the terms on either side.

That will equal (1/2)*M*Vmax^2

Finally, solve for Vmax