A Spring in a Conservation of Energy Problem?

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Homework Help Overview

The problem involves a block of mass released from a height on a frictionless ramp, interacting with a spring at the bottom. The subject area is conservation of energy, specifically relating to gravitational potential energy and elastic potential energy.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory, Conceptual clarification, Problem interpretation

Approaches and Questions Raised

  • The original poster attempts to apply conservation of energy principles to find the maximum compression of the spring, questioning the role of acceleration on a flat surface. Some participants suggest using elastic potential energy to relate the spring's compression to the energy at the top of the ramp.

Discussion Status

The discussion includes attempts to clarify the relationship between gravitational potential energy and elastic potential energy. Some guidance has been offered regarding the use of energy equations, but there is no explicit consensus on the approach to take.

Contextual Notes

Participants are navigating the assumptions regarding energy conservation and the conditions of the ramp and spring system. There is mention of the block's initial conditions and the nature of the ramp being frictionless.

PhysicsPhun
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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.
 
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You'd have an easier time with a simpler energy argument.

[tex]E_e = \frac{1}{2}kx^2[/tex]

Where [itex]E_e[/itex] is the elastic energy due to the compression in the spring.

cookiemonster
 
Elastic potential energy?

Would that just be the potential energy before the block begins to move at the top of the ramp?
 
Wow, I got it. Thanks a lot. Very much appreciated.
 

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