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PhysicsPhun
Mar11-04, 01:25 AM
Not totally lost but for the most part.. i'm pretty lost..

A Block of mass m = 7.20 kg is released from rest at a heigh of H = 9 m on a curved frictionless ramp. At the foot of the ramp is a spring whose spring constant is k = 306 N/m. What is the maximum compression of the spring, x?

Alright so using conservation of energy, i got the final velocity to be 13.2816 m/s. The "ramp" becomes flat, and is frictionless, so there is no acceleration, correct?
This is where i am stuck.
The only thing i can think of to find the maximum compression of the spring is: F = -Kx

Is there anything else i can do? Or is there something i am missing?

Thanks.

cookiemonster
Mar11-04, 01:35 AM
You'd have an easier time with a simpler energy argument.

E_e = \frac{1}{2}kx^2

Where E_e is the elastic energy due to the compression in the spring.

cookiemonster

PhysicsPhun
Mar11-04, 01:39 AM
Elastic potential energy?

Would that just be the potential energy before the block begins to move at the top of the ramp?

PhysicsPhun
Mar11-04, 01:41 AM
Wow, I got it. Thanks alot. Very much appreciated.