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Reverse Bungee Problem

I an working on a reverse bungee problem for a project and I cannot wrap my head around the Potential + Kinetic Energy.

The problem:

A Reverse bungee is 60m tall from ground level
Mass of Passenger Car = 400kg
Original Length of Rope = 30m

Need to find Maximum Height and Maximum Speed


I've googled Elastic Potential Energy equations which have showed up a couple of results and I don't know how to use them to form it all together.

We haven't been taught how to do this as we have only been told about
Kinetic Energy = (1/2)mv^2
Potential Energy = mgh

I have tried using these 2 equations but to no luck


Thank you for any help
Original post by D556mm
I an working on a reverse bungee problem for a project and I cannot wrap my head around the Potential + Kinetic Energy.

The problem:

A Reverse bungee is 60m tall from ground level
Mass of Passenger Car = 400kg
Original Length of Rope = 30m

Need to find Maximum Height and Maximum Speed


I've googled Elastic Potential Energy equations which have showed up a couple of results and I don't know how to use them to form it all together.

We haven't been taught how to do this as we have only been told about
Kinetic Energy = (1/2)mv^2
Potential Energy = mgh

I have tried using these 2 equations but to no luck


Thank you for any help


I'm not sure what a reverse bungee is, but don't forget about Hookes law that the force exerted by the rope will be directly proportional the the extension in the rope F=kx F = -kx
The elastic potential energy stored in a stretched spring is W=k2x2 W = \frac{k}{2} x^2 where k is the spring constant k=λorigional length k = \frac{\lambda}{\mathrm{origional \ length}}
Original post by hello calum
I'm not sure what a reverse bungee is, but don't forget about Hookes law that the force exerted by the rope will be directly proportional the the extension in the rope F=kx F = -kx
The elastic potential energy stored in a stretched spring is W=k2x2 W = \frac{k}{2} x^2 where k is the spring constant k=λorigional length k = \frac{\lambda}{\mathrm{origional \ length}}


I think that might be overcomplicating things. I think you are supposed to make the assumption that at the top, all the energy is gravitational potential, mgh, and at the bottom it is all kinetic, so mgh=1/2 mv2

Edit: Possibly not, though. I'm not sure about what it means by the original length of 30 and then 60m, it could mean you use Hooke's Law.
(edited 10 years ago)
Original post by PythianLegume
I think that might be overcomplicating things. I think you are supposed to make the assumption that at the top, all the energy is gravitational potential, mgh, and at the bottom it is all kinetic, so mgh=1/2 mv2

Edit: Possibly not, though. I'm not sure about what it means by the original length of 30 and then 60m, it could mean you use Hooke's Law.


At the bottom, wouldn't the kinetic energy be zero though? because you would come to a stop at the bottom before being pulled back up
Original post by hello calum
At the bottom, wouldn't the kinetic energy be zero though? because you would come to a stop at the bottom before being pulled back up


I assumed a reverse bungee fired you upwards :tongue:

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