A 0.93 kg block is shot horizontally from a spring, as in the example above, and travels 0.539 m up a long a frictionless ramp before coming to rest and sliding back down. If the ramp makes an angle of 45.0° with respect to the horizontal, and the spring originally was compressed by 0.19 m, find the spring constant. Details on how one solves this type of problem is always a plus !

Answer 1

KE(load) = PE(load),
m•v²/2 = m•g•h =m•g•s•sinα,
m•v² = 2• m•g•s•sinα.

PE(spring) = KE(load),
k•x²/2 = m•v²/2,
k = mv²/x² = 2•m•g•s•sinα/ x².