An elevator cable breaks when a 950 kg elevator is 23 m above a huge spring (k = 2.3×105 N/m) at the bottom of the shaft. (a)Calculate the work done by gravity on the elevator before it hits the spring. (b) Calculate the speed of the elevator just before striking the spring.

Question

(c) Calculate the amount the spring compresses (note that work is done by both the spring and gravity in this part).

Answer 1

work done before impace= mgh
1/2 m v^2=mgh solve for speed.
1/2 k x^2=mgh+mgx

Answer 2

17