A spring with a constant of #12 (kg)/s^2# is lying on the ground with one end attached to a wall. An object with a mass of #8 kg# and speed of #9 m/s# collides with and compresses the spring until it stops moving. How much will the spring compress?

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Answer 1 · 2017-12-26T22:00:23

8 m

KE: Kinetic Energy = #1/2 m v^2#

PE: Potential Energy = #1/2 k x^2#

Energy Transformation:

#1/2 m v^2# = #1/2 k x^2#

#1/2 (8 kg) (9.81 (m)/s^2)^2# = #1/2 (12 (kg)/s^2) x^2#

Solving for x: compression,

x = 8 m

Note: in absence of gravitational force.