Calculating Spring Constant for a Mass-Spring System: Technician's Experiment

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SUMMARY

The discussion centers on calculating the spring constant for a mass-spring system involving a bullet and a wooden block. The scenario describes a 0.0100 kg bullet impacting a 500.0 g block, which compresses a massless spring by 0.200 m after the bullet lodges inside. The solution provided is deemed correct, with a recommendation to utilize variables instead of numbers during calculations to minimize errors. This approach enhances clarity and accuracy in problem-solving.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of Newton's laws of motion
  • Familiarity with the conservation of momentum
  • Knowledge of Hooke's Law for spring constants
  • Basic algebra for variable manipulation
NEXT STEPS
  • Study the application of Hooke's Law in various mechanical systems
  • Learn about conservation of momentum in inelastic collisions
  • Explore advanced techniques for calculating spring constants in complex systems
  • Investigate the effects of mass and velocity on spring compression
USEFUL FOR

Physics students, mechanical engineers, and technicians involved in spring design and analysis will benefit from this discussion.

fldk31
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< Mentor Note -- thread moved to HH from the technical physics forums, so no HH Template is shown >[/color]

Could anyone please correct me if I have any mistake in the following question? It's very important for me to know if I am doing it correctly.

1)
"Michelle, a technician at a spring manufacturing plant,wants to make determining spring constants for fun. She fires a 0.0100kg bullet at a 500.0g wooden block that is attached to a massless spring;the bullet is traveling at 1000m/s when it strikes the block.The bullet lodges inside the block and the combination compresses the spring by 0.200m before it stops.Determine the spring constant that the technician oils calculate for this spring?"
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Solution:
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This looks very well done. My only recommendation is to use numbers more sparingly in your actual work. Use variables and plug in at the very end. It makes it easier to catch mistakes, both for you and for us.
 

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