Solution

ID: past-exam-of-the-short-options-paper-shared-by-prelims-and-parts-a-and-b-of-the-physics-course-of-the-university-of-oxford/2017/s7/2/a/solution

Use rotating basis vectors with , . The inertial velocity is . The two fixed rotating anchors are , so the spring lengths are . Combining kinetic and elastic energies gives
A constant elastic offset has no dynamical effect.

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