A spring with a constant of #4 (kg)/(s^2)# is lying on the ground with one end attached to a wall. An object with a mass of #7 kg # and speed of # 8 m/s# collides with and compresses the spring until it stops moving. How much will the spring compress?

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Answer 1 · 2017-04-11T16:49:35

The spring will compress by #=10.58m#

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The spring constant is #k=4kgs^-2#

The kinetic energy of the object is

#KE=1/2m u^2#

#KE=1/2*7*8^2=224J#

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

#PE=224J#

So,

#1/2kx^2=224#

#x^2=448/k=448/4=112#

#x=sqrt112=10.58m#