Calculate Spring Constants: 0.400 and 0.225 Joules

[Roger_Hurst]

Can someone please just explain to me how to do this? I feel helpless.

A spring has a force of 500.0 N/m. Show that the potential energy stored in the spring is as follows:

a.) 0.400 Joules when the spring is stretched 4.00cm from equilibrium.
b.) 0.225 Joules when the spring is compressed 3.00cm from equilibrium.

 

[PhanthomJay]

You should know the formula for a spring's potential 'stored' energy. Or you can derive if from the fact that the work done in dispacing a spring from its equilibrium oposition to a distance X is equal to the negative of its potential energy change.