Calculating Spring Constant: 7.00 kg Mass on Vertical Spring Scale

[ElectricMile]

A 7.00 kg mass hanging from a spring scale is slowly lowered onto a vertical spring, as shown in the figure.

I got the first part, What does the spring scale read just before the mass touches the lower spring? which was, 68.6 N

Dont understand how to approch, The scale reads 20.0 N when the lower spring has been compressed by 1.50cm . What is the value of the spring constant for the lower spring?...i know I am trying to find k

and also, At what compression length will the scale read zero?

wouldnt this be when the mass is all the way on the spring?

 

[ElectricMile]

anyone got any help?

 

[Pyrrhus]

Do the forces analysis and Remember Hooke's Law F = kx or in Vectorial form \vec{F} = k \vec{x}

 

[ElectricMile]

still wondering, i know F=kx, F, being 68.6 and x = 1.5 cm, right? but that k isn't the right answer. i must be doing it wrong, but what?

 

[Pyrrhus]

You know springs has a restorative force that will restore the spring back to its equilibrium position.

 

[Doc Al]

It doesn't seem that you've made use of the given information: that the scale reads 20 N. If the scale reading is 20 N, what must be the force the spring is exerting on the mass?

 

[ElectricMile]

ALRIGHT, here's what i did, mupltipled, 68.6*48.6=3333.4 put that in for my homework online and it says i have a rounding error, i tried 5 diffrent things and it says the same thing, now i have 2 trys or i get a 0, anyone know what's wrong?

 

[Doc Al]

I have no idea what you are up to with that calculation! Looks like you randomly multiplied two numbers.

But... if the scale reads 20 N, that means the spring must be providing 68.6-20 = 48.6 N of force. The amount of compression associated with that spring force is given as 1.5 cm. Use F = kx to find k. (Careful of units!)