A horizontal spring with = 76N/m has one end attached to a wall and the other end free. An 81g wad of putty is thrown horizontally at 3.2m/s directly toward the free end.

Find the maximum spring compression (ignore gravity). Hint: Kinetic energy is converted into potentail energy of spring .

Question

A horizontal spring with  = 76N/m has one end attached to a wall and the other end free. An 81g wad of putty is thrown horizontally at 3.2m/s directly toward the free end.

Find the maximum spring compression (ignore gravity).  Hint:  Kinetic energy is converted into potentail energy of spring .

anonymous · Answer

It's right there in the hint!!

The kinetic energy of the puddy ($1/2 mv^2$) equals the potential energy of the spring ($1/2 k x^2$)

$$mv^2 = kx^2$$