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2009 Paper 3 Q10
D: 1700.0 B: 1484.0

A light spring is fixed at its lower end and its axis is vertical. When a certain particle \(P\) rests on the top of the spring, the compression is \(d\). When, instead, \(P\) is dropped onto the top of the spring from a height \(h\) above it, the compression at time \(t\) after \(P\) hits the top of the spring is \(x\). Obtain a second-order differential equation relating \(x\) and \(t\) for \(0\le t \le T\), where \(T\) is the time at which \(P\) first loses contact with the spring. Find the solution of this equation in the form \[ x= A + B\cos (\omega t) + C\sin(\omega t)\,, \] where the constants \(A\), \(B\), \(C\) and \(\omega\) are to be given in terms of \(d\), \(g\) and \(h\) as appropriate. Show that \[ T = \sqrt{d/g\;} \left (2 \pi - 2 \arctan \sqrt{2h/d\;}\;\right)\,. \]