An object of mass m moves in one dimension under the influence of the following conservative potential function: U(x) = x2 + 2x - 1. No other potentials are acting on the object.
a) Determine the acceleration of the object.
b) Determine the location along x at which the potential is minimized. Denote this point as xo.
c) At xo, is the potential stable, unstable or critically stable?