IB Physics Exam Preparation – Mechanics: Impulse, Momentum, Energy, Forces and Newton’s laws

Via the resolution of an exam-like exercise, we will review together some fundamental pillars of high school mechanics: _ Conservation of Energy _ Impulse and Momentum _ Graphing Motion _ Forces and Newton’s Laws _ Friction

Benefit of a private session with renown Physics Tutor, Edouard Reny. If you are experiencing trouble in applying what you have learned in mechanics at school, grab a pen, a calculator and some paper and follow the instruction in this video diligently: Most importantly, take your time, do not rush through it! After this, Mechanics should appear much clearer to you!

This video is aimed at IB students studying HL or SL Physics. It can also help students preparing other diplomas (A-Levels, AP Physics, etc...) in getting their grips around mechanics.

In this episode, we will be working on an exercise inspired by a past paper that deals with a block that is pushed up a ramp by the decompression of a spring.

Pause the video and work it out by yourself. Then, we will review the exercise together. When relevant, I will remind the viewer on concepts required to solve the exercise.

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This video is produced and presented by Edouard Reny, Ph.D. in materials sciences and private tutor in Physics. He provides one-on-one private tuition in Physics (face to face or by Skype). If you wish to contact him, visit his website: https://www.physics-tutor.nl/

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***************** Text of the exercise ****************** ++++ CONTEXT ++++ Old Pinball game machines used a spring that the player would pull and release to launch the ball. Then a new generation of pinball machines came where the player just needed to press on a button to launch the ball.

The principle was based on a motor compressing the launch spring that was then locked in a compressed position. Pressing the button would unlock the mechanism, and the ball would be launched. The ball would first slide on a frictionless flat surface for 80 cm and then climb a ramp and reach a height of 15 cm.

A student modeled such a system by setting up an experiment described by the diagram (See Video): When the lock is released, a 500g block is accelerated by a spring, loses contact with it at point M and slides on a friction-less surface. When it reaches point N, it enters a friction-less ramp. At point P, the ramp ends at a height of 15 cm.

++++ QUESTIONS ++++

1/ At point P the velocity of the block is 1.7 m/s. Determine the elastic energy stored in the s ... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OR7Iac16o9k