How Do I Find The Distance Something Will Travel If I Have The Energy Potential?
A spring has a constant force of 600.0N/m. This spring is used to shoot a 25g ball straight up after the spring is compressed 25.0cm. How high will the ball travel assuming all energy is transferred to the ball.
I have found the energy potential to be 18.75J but what do i do next to find the distance the ball will travel?
narutofa on Wed, 4th Nov 2009 11:03 am
You have calculated the enrgy transferred by the spring to the ball.
This energy will appear as potential energy in the ball = m x g x h
So h = 18.75 / (0.25 x 9.81) = 7.65 m
steve c on Wed, 4th Nov 2009 11:22 am
For straight up, the potential energy in the spring is the same as the potential energy at the peak height, with the formula E = mgh, h being the height at maximum.