Energy Conservation and Spring Compression

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Homework Help Overview

The discussion revolves around a problem in energy conservation related to spring compression and the launch speed of a marble. The original poster presents a scenario where a spring compressed 10 cm launches a marble at 75 cm/s, and questions how much compression is needed to achieve a launch speed of 150 cm/s.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory, Conceptual clarification, Assumption checking

Approaches and Questions Raised

  • Participants explore the relationship between spring force, compression, and launch speed. Some suggest calculating acceleration based on spring force at different compressions, while others mention potential and kinetic energy conversions as a method to analyze the problem.

Discussion Status

The discussion is active, with participants providing different perspectives on how to approach the problem. Some guidance has been offered regarding the importance of energy considerations, and there is an ongoing exploration of the implications of doubling speed versus height.

Contextual Notes

There appears to be some confusion regarding the relationship between speed and height in the context of the problem, as well as the implications of the spring's compression on energy conservation principles.

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Homework Statement


If a particular spring is compressed 10 cm, it can launch a marble horizontally at 75 cm/s. How much must it be compressed to launch the marble horizontally at 150 cm/s?

Homework Equations

The Attempt at a Solution


My guess is that the spring force needs to be doubled in order for the marble to reach double the height. Is this right? I feel like this is way too simple for my physics professor to put on an exam. I feel like there has to be something else like equations to try and solve this.
 
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It's always simple to guess an answer. What about trying to work it out?
 
There are several different ways to work this out. For example, if you know the force applied by the spring at each amount of compression, x, you can calculate the acceleration and so the speed as it leaves the spring. Or, if you know the potential energy of a spring at a given compression then you can calculate the kinetic energy when all that energy is converted from potential to kinetic energy and so get the speed.
 
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NkaujHelp said:

Homework Statement


If a particular spring is compressed 10 cm, it can launch a marble horizontally at 75 cm/s. How much must it be compressed to launch the marble horizontally at 150 cm/s?

Homework Equations

The Attempt at a Solution


My guess is that the spring force needs to be doubled in order for the marble to reach double the height. Is this right? I feel like this is way too simple for my physics professor to put on an exam. I feel like there has to be something else like equations to try and solve this.
The question asks about doubling the speed, but in your 'attempt' you mention doubling the height. If you think one implies the other then you are wrong. Also, it does say horizontally, so I'm not sure how height would come into it.
As Halls suggests, think about energy. How do doubled compression, doubled speed and doubled height relate to energy?
 

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