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Work to Compress Spring

 
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Oct7-10, 01:32 AM   #1
 

Work to Compress Spring

1. The problem statement, all variables and given/known data
A spring, with a spring constant of 87 N/m, was compressed a distance of 8.6cm (0.086m). How much work was done in order to compress the spring?


2. Relevant equations
WC=1/2kd^2


3. The attempt at a solution
I tried to plug in the numbers as follows in the above equation - but I can't get the answer out. I have been doing this for ages am like a broken record - pse snap me out of this programming!

WC= 2*87*.086^2 = 1.286904J
Apparently, the correct answer is .32J

Help!
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Oct7-10, 01:44 AM   #2
 
you are off by a factor of 4
you multiplied by 2
maybe you were supposed to multiply by 1/2
Oct10-10, 10:10 PM   #3
 
thanks - I tried to recalculate it this is not the case.
Oct10-10, 10:33 PM   #4
 
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Work to Compress Spring

Quote by Chica1975 View Post
2. Relevant equations
WC=1/2kd^2
According to this equation, you are supposed to multiply kd2 by 1/2, not by 2.
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