A 11 kg box slides 4.2 m down a frictionless ramp and then collides with a spring whose spring constant is 250 N/m.

What is the maximum compression of the spring?

I got 1.35 m but it is incorrect. Any help would be great!

1 answer

I assume your 4.2 meters is vertical component of ramp since you did not give an angle.

m g h = 11 * 9.81 * 4.2 = 453 Joules decrease in potential energy
That goes in PE of spring
(1/2) k x^2 = 453
250 x^2 = 906
x = 1.90 meters due to velocity
k x = weight = 11*9.81
x due to weight = 11*9.81/250 = .431 due to weight
sum = 2.33 m