Need help going over a momentum/spring problem

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AI Thread Summary
A pellet gun fires a bullet into a block of wood attached to a spring, resulting in simple harmonic motion with an amplitude of 11 cm. The bullet's initial speed is 650 m/s, and calculations show the spring constant is approximately 349.9 N/m. The total energy of the system after the collision is calculated to be 4.23 J, considering the maximum kinetic and potential energy. The maximum acceleration of the bullet/block system is determined to be 15.4 m/s². The velocity of the bullet/block reaches zero at the maximum displacement of ±11 cm.
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1.Homework Statement
A pellet gun is fired into a block of wood that is attached to a spring on a frictionless surface. The bullet remains in the wood and the block of wood and the bullet enter into a simple harmonic motion with Amplitude=11cm. The 5g bullet was traveling at 650m/s before hitting the 2.5kg block of wood.
a)What is the spring constant?
b)What is the the total energy of the system after the collision?
c)What is the max acceleration of the bullet/block once it begins its oscillation?
d)Where will the bullet/block reach a velocity of 0?


Homework Equations


mv=mv
(1/2)mv^2=(1/2)kx^2
a=(V^2)/A
v=2pief(sqrt(A^2-x^2))



The Attempt at a Solution


I've already done the problem I just need someone to check my work because I'm not completely sure about the process.

Part a
(.005)(650)=(2.505)v
v=1.3m/s

(1/2)k(.11^2)=(1/2)(2.505)(1.3^2)
k=349.9N/m

Part b
E=(1/2)mv^2 + (1/2)kx^2
E=((2.505)(1.3^2)+(349.9)(.11^2))/2
E=4.23J

Part c
a=(v^2)/A
a=(1.3^2)/.11
a=15.4m/s^2

Part d
Where A=x
so where x=+-11cm

Thanks in advance for any help.
 
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In part b) you have added the max KE to the max PE.
When KE is max, PE is zero and vice versa.
 
So the total energy of the system would be equal to just the max potential or kinetic by themselves?
 
Yep!
 
alright thanks
 
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