A spring has its right end fixed and is installed on a horizontal table so that the free end, at equilibrium, is at x=3.00m. A 1.65kg block coming from the left slides along the table. When it passes the origin, it is moving at 5.58m/s. It strikes the spring, compresses it momentarily, and is then sent back toward the left, where it eventually comes to rest at the point x=1.5m. The coefficient of kinetic friction between the block and the table is 0.300. By what distance was the spring compressed?

Question

Chanz · Answer

The kicker is the energy lost to friction during compression and expansion which will be Ff(x) times 2. So KE - 2Ff x - Ff(d) = 0 but Ff is mu mg Note m is not really needed for the question.

Anonymous · Answer

.395