Oh sorry. Yes I mean conservation of momentum. I tried to combine both conservation of momentum and energy to give me the extension like this:
\sqrt{2gh}M=(M+m)v
(M+m)v^2/2=k\Delta^2/2
Which results in:
\Delta=\sqrt{\frac{2ghM^2}{k(M+m)}}
I'm obviously mixing conservation of energy and momentum...
Yes it does. Thank you. It results in the same answer as the second method. But if I'm correct then both masses will move separately if that method is used. I didn't realize I was mixing elastic and inelastic collisions. Is it also possible to use conservation of energy to get the same result as...
Hi.
I'd like to find the maximal extension of a spring. The spring has a spring constant k. There's a mass m connected on the spring. From a height h above the initial location of mass m another mass M falls. When the two masses make contact they move as one. I found two methods to calculate...