A spring with a constant of 3 (kg)/s^23kgs2 is lying on the ground with one end attached to a wall. An object with a mass of 2 kg2kg and speed of 9 m/s9ms collides with and compresses the spring until it stops moving. How much will the spring compress?

1 Answer
May 15, 2017

The compression is =7.35m=7.35m

Explanation:

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The spring constant is k=3kgs^-2k=3kgs2

The kinetic energy of the object is

KE=1/2m u^2KE=12mu2

KE=1/2*2*(9)^2=81JKE=122(9)2=81J

This kinetic energy will be stored in the spring as potential energy.

PE=81JPE=81J

So,

1/2kx^2=8112kx2=81

x^2=81*2/(3)=54m^2x2=8123=54m2

x=sqrt(54)=7.35mx=54=7.35m