Vertical mass less spring problem

AI Thread Summary
The discussion revolves around a physics problem involving a 1.00 kg block compressed against a vertical massless spring with a spring constant of 280 N/m. The user applied conservation of energy to determine how far above the spring's equilibrium point the block travels after being released. Their initial calculation yielded a height of 0.2414 m, but this was marked incorrect. It was clarified that this height represents the distance from maximum spring compression to maximum height, and the user must account for the spring's equilibrium point, which is not simply the initial compression of 0.13 m. Understanding the correct equilibrium position is crucial for solving the problem accurately.
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A 1.00 kg block is compressed a distance of x = 0.130 m against a vertical massless spring with spring constant 280 N/m. The block is released from rest. How far above the spring's equilibrium point does the block travel?

I used conservation of energy and got
0.5kx^2 + 0.5mv^2 + mgh = 0.5kX^2 + 0.5mV^2 + mgH
0.5(280)(0.13^2) + 0 + 0 = 0 + 0 + (1)(9.8)H
2.366 = 9.8H
H= 0.2414

This is marked wrong so i thn subtracted the initial 0.13 and it was still marked wrong.
Can anyone tell me why and how to do it? Please?
 
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The 0.24 m that you found represents the distance from maximum spring compression to maximum height. As you suspected, you need to subtract from it the distance to the "spring's equilibrium point". Is that 0.13 m? I think not because it is the overall compression of the spring. When the 1 kg mass is placed on the spring and the system is at rest (equilibrium) that's the equilibrium point. So by what distance is the spring compressed when you place the 1 kg mass on it and you just let it sit there?
 
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