I need a 1.00 W motor to push a garbage compactor so that it squishes some garbage. The garbage has a spring constant of 49.7 N/m. If I am going to squish it 30 cm, determine how much time the compactor takes.

2 answers

Average force = Fav
= (1/2)*49.7 N/m*(0.30 m)
= 7.46 N
Work = Fav*X = 2.24 J
Power*T = 2.24 J
T = 2.24 seconds
thats not right. you forgot to square the x value. 0.30 should have been 0.09