Recent content by nibbles198

Just a note before I start off, this was the first line on this homework assignment: "If you have not studied this yet you can do this problem after reading about it in your textbook."... I've honestly tried reading about this stuff, but our teacher hasn't even started thermodynamics yet...

Ahhh I think I've got it. (1/2)kx2 = (1/2)M1V12 + (1/2)M2V22 Awesome thank you! (let me know if that's not right, but I'm pretty sure it is)

thanks so much for your responses btw. I really did not expect anyone to even get back to me

ok, so we know that (1/2)kx2 = potential energy in the spring when it is fully compressed. If momentum is conserved, then when it is fully compressed (1/2)M1Vo2 = (1/2)kx2 correct? Hmm...we really haven't learned this in the class I'm in currently, but it seems like I would need...

Thanks :smile:, I am indeed a rabbit lol. Ok so what are v1 and v2 here then? The velocity before the spring is compressed and the velocity once it is compressed? I guess I should have included this question in my original post because determining what v1 and v2 are is my real issue.

Homework Statement A first block with mass M_1 is initially moving with a speed V_o to the right and a second block with mass M_2 is at rest. The second block has a spring attached to it. The spring has negligible mass. The spring has a spring constant k. The horizontal surface is...