A spring with a constant of #1 (kg)/s^2# is lying on the ground with one end attached to a wall. An object with a mass of #2 kg# and speed of #4 m/s# collides with and compresses the spring until it stops moving. How much will the spring compress?

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Answer 1 · 2016-02-28T05:54:04

Here mass#, m = 2# #kg#
Velocity , #v = 4# #ms^-1#
spring constant, # k=1# #kgs^-2#

By conservation of mechanical energy

PE of compressed spring= Initial kinetic energy of the moving object

#:.1/2*k*x^2=1/2*mv^2 #, where x = compression of spring
#=>x=sqrt((mv^2)/k)=sqrt(2*4^2/1)=4sqrt2m #