Four balls, each of mass m, are connected by four identical relaxed springs with spring constant k. The balls are simultaneously given equal initial speeds v directed away from the center of symmetry of the system as shown in the figure.

a. Suppose each of the balls moves outwards to a maximum displacement d from its initial position Find the distance (x) each of the springs has stretched from its equilibrium position, in terms of d.

b. Find the maximum displacement d of any one of the balls from its initial position.

k in m m k V. k