Depends on how you look at it. The problem is asking for the velocity as the block leaves the spring, which is exactly the point where there is no more elastic potential and the block is at maximum kinetic energy. It is the final velocity for its path on the spring, and the initial velocity for...
Sorry, I disagree. The initial velocity is not 0 for any fraction of a second. As soon as the force holding the spring is released, the object is immediately propelled at a certain velocity. The object begins from rest, but is under a elastic force that will push it as soon as the other force...
Got it! Saw that total energy = elastic potential + kinetic energy. Thus, when fully compressed, all of the systems energy is equal to 1/2 k x^2. In this case, this is equal to 7.62. When the system has been released and the spring has stretched back to its normal point (where the displacement...
The block is under the effects of a force as it is attached to a string that is being compressed. When this force is released, the block will be pushed by the string at a certain initial velocity.
If I had the total distance that the block would travel, I could assume that final velocity = 0...
Initial velocity is not zero. I am solving for the initial velocity after the object is released from the spring.
Anyways, I think I figured it out; had another look at an equation sheet. Thanks for your help.
Just to check my work, I used the equation PEspring = (1/2)kx^2. With the total...
Thank you for the welcome. What extra information does this give me to solve the problem, though? That situation still leaves me with no time, no initial/final velocity, and in this case, no distance.
Seems to me that this is a problem involving Newton's law of universal gravitation:
F=(g x mass 1 x mass 2) / (r^2) with g being the gravitational constant, 6.67 x 10^-11.
You can solve for the astronaut's mass, and use this equation (assuming the Earth's mass and radius as given, just look...
Homework Statement
A 165g plastic block is set up against a spring. The block rests on a smooth (I'm assuming this implies that there is no friction involved) horizontal surface. The block is pushed into the spring, compressing it a distance of 15.0 cm and released. The spring constant is k=...