Calculating Spring Compression from Toy Car Collision

[mksnider77]

Homework Statement

A toy car with a mass of m=.079 kg crashes into a spring with constant k=69 N/m. If the car was going v=1.10 m/s, then how far will the spring compress?

Homework Equations

I think you could use the equation for Elastic Potential Energy but I'm not sure what to do with the mass or the velocity...

EPE= kv^2/2

The Attempt at a Solution

I really just don't know... I'm stuck and help would be greatly appreciated!

 

[gneill]

Check the units on your EPE equation. Are you getting Joules (energy)?