please help? physics spring question?

D

Diana

New member
A 450-g mass is attached to a horizontal spring. The spring is compressed 60.0 cm and released. If the spring constant (k) is 14.0 N/m, what is the maximum height the mass can reach if it immediately enters a curve and rolls upward? Ignore friction.
 
I am assuming the spring is not permanently attached to the mass and that the mass separates from the spring when the spring is released and expands. Solve this by using conservation of energy. Since there is no friction, no energy is consumed in the curve. The potential energy at the peak altitude is equal to the energy stored in the spring which is:
.5kx ^2 = .5*14*.6^2 = 2.52J = mgh so h= 2.52/.45*9.81 = .571m = 57.1cm Notice that k is N/m while everything else is grams and centimeters. You have to express the mass and the distances in meters.
 
when spring is compressed and released the potential energy is imparted to the mass to reach at certain height on the curve.
k*x*x/2=m*g*h
k=14
x=60/100m
m=450/1000kg
g=10
h=56cm
 
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