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dv d 2y mg ky CB2L2 = m . dt dt2
Transforming to the new variable u = y k in allows the equation of motion to be written the form d 2u k u = 0. + dt 2 m + CB2L2 This is the familiar simple harmonic motion equation with angular frequency
mg
k m+CB2L2
oscillation is T = 2 m+CB L k .
2 2
We can then model the voltmeters in one of the following ways. (a) Each voltmeter is represented by a capacitor.
The voltage across the capacitor network is V = V/3. The total capacitance is C . Each capacitor has capacitance C. 1/C = 1/C + 1/(2C). C = 2C/3. Q = V C = 2VC/9 is the magnitude of the charge of this network. V3 = Q/C = 2V/9, V2 = V1 = Q/(2C) = V/9. (b) Each voltmeter is represented by a resistor r with r .
Solution: The heating element will consist of several segments of wire connected in parallel. For maximum heating power, each segment must carry the greatest possible current, which is 2.0 A. Therefore the resistance of each segment must be 110 V/2.0 A = 55 . Since 536/55 = 9.74, we can only use nine segments. Each segment will have length = (55/536)L, where L = the original length of the wire. (The tenth piece will be too short and must be discarded.) The heating power will then be 9 110 V 2.0 A = 1980 W. (Contributed by Art Hovey, Milford, CT)
Several other readers also sent us correct solutions to the April Challenges. We would like to recognize the following contributors: John Bryner (retired) John F. Goehl Jr. (Barry University, Miami Shores, FL) Gerald E. Hite (TAMUG, Galveston, TX) Mark Lenfestey (Elkhart Central High School, White Pigeon, MI) Eugene P. Mosca (U.S. Naval Academy, Annapolis, MD) Carl E. Mungan (U. S. Naval Academy, Annapolis, MD) John Spokas (Benedictine University, Lisle, IL) Leo H. van den Raadt (Heemstede, The Netherlands) We appreciate your submissions and hope to receive more solutions in the future. Note to contributors: as the number of submissions grows, we request that certain guidelines be observed, in order to facilitate the process more efficiently: please email the solutions as Word files; please name the file May04HPotter iffor instance your name is Harry Potter, and you are sending the solutions to May 2004 Challenges; please state your name, hometown and professional affiliation in the file, not only in the email message. Many thanks!
Please send correspondence to: Boris Korsunsky 444 Wellesley St. Weston, MA 02493-2631
The voltage across the resistor network is V = V/3. The total resistance is r . Each resistor has resistance r. So r = r + r/2, r = 3r/2. I = V /r = V/(3r ) = 2V/(9r) is the magnitude of the (very small) current through the network. Then V3 = Ir = 2V/9, V2 = V1 = Ir/2 = V/9. (Contributed by Marianne Breinig, The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN)
What a Waste!
Challenge: Find the maximum power of a heating element that can be constructed from a piece of wire that has a resistance of 536 . The element is to be powered by a constant voltage of V = 110 V. The current through the wire cannot exceed 2.0 A.
korsunbo@post.harvard.edu