Four people, each with a mass of 73.5 kg, are in a car with a mass of 1150 kg. A

Question

Four people, each with a mass of 73.5 kg, are in a car with a mass of 1150 kg. An earthquake strikes. The driver manages to pull of the road and stop, as the vertical oscillations of the ground surface make the car bounce up and down on its suspension springs. When the frequency of the shaking is 1.60 Hz, the car exhibits a maximum amplitude of vibration. The earthquake ends and the four people leave the car as fast as they can. By what distance does the car's undamaged suspension lift the car's body as the people get out?

_________cm

****I'm having A LOT of trouble on how to answer this problem; help please? Will rate handsomely:)

Thank you!!

Explanation / Answer

first thing to solve for is the spring constant

using the equation for shm,

frequency = 2m/k

1.60 hz = 2((73.5*4 + 1150)*9.81)/k

[1.60/2]2 = 14160/k

spring constant k = 2.18x105N/m 218 kN/m

now solve for how far the spring moves up when the mass of the people are removed using hookes law

F=kx

2.884kN = (218kN/m)*x

x = .0132m = 13.2 cm

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