A 370.0 g block is dropped onto a vertical spring with a spring constant k = 266.0 N/m. The block becomes attached to the spring, and the spring
compresses 0.10 m before momentarily stopping.

What work is done by the spring?

Question

A 370.0 g block is dropped onto a vertical spring with a spring constant k  =  266.0 N/m. The block becomes attached to the spring, and the spring 
compresses 0.10 m before momentarily stopping.

 What work is done by the spring?

anonymous · Answer

work = force * distance,
so you know how much 'distance' is traveled by the spring from the information given. the next question is how much 'force' was done by the spring. remember that force of a spring = k*compression distance. from the information given, you have 'k' and you have 'compression distance of the spring' so, now you have force.
plug in the force and the distance into the work equation, and the answer will pop out in units of joules ^_^