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moonbase
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Homework Statement
A cart of mass m = 3 kg carrying a spring of spring constant k = 46 N/m and moving at speed v = 2.8 m/s hits a stationary cart of mass M = 8 kg. Assume all motion is along a line. What is the maximum amount the spring will be compressed?
Homework Equations
PEspring=0.5kx2
KEinitial=0.5mv2
The Attempt at a Solution
A previous part of this question asked me to calculate the mechanical energy in the center of mass frame, which I correctly found to be 8.55 J. I then had to find the total potential energy of the system when the spring is fully compressed, which I correctly calculated to also be 8.55 J. But when I plug this into the spring energy equation, the value I get for x is apparently incorrect.
0.5(46)x2=8.55 -> x=0.61
I must be missing a step here. Anyone see what I did wrong?