Spring Ramp Problem: Maximum Distance for Compressed Spring Calculation

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SUMMARY

The discussion centers on calculating the maximum compression of a spring when a 500-gram block slides down a frictionless track and strikes the spring. The problem utilizes the conservation of energy principle, specifically the equation mgh = 1/2 kx², where m is mass, g is acceleration due to gravity, h is height, k is the spring constant, and x is the compression distance. The calculated maximum compression of the spring is 0.99 meters, confirming the solution's accuracy as validated by community feedback.

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Homework Statement



A 500-g block is released from rest and slides down a frictionless track that begins 2.00 m above the horizontal as shown in the figure. At the bottom of the track, where the surface is horizontal, the block strikes and sticks to a light spring with a constant of 20 N/m.find the maximum distance the spring is compressed.

Homework Equations



I am pretty sure that this is just an MGH type problem, so I used :

mgh=1/2kx^2



The Attempt at a Solution



Using the above formula, I calculated: (.500)(9.8)(2)=.5(20)(x^2)

Solving the equation for value x i get .99 m.

Can anyone advise me to whether this is correct or not?
 
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That is correct.
 
awesome, thanks a lot!
 

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