Final answer:
The kinetic energy of a 3.175 kg mass just before striking a spring after being dropped from a height of 4.063 meters is calculated using the conservation of mechanical energy to be 126.051 Joules.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question pertains to the kinetic energy of a mass just before it strikes a spring after being dropped from a certain height. To find the kinetic energy at this point, we can use the principle of conservation of mechanical energy, assuming no air resistance and that all the gravitational potential energy has been converted into kinetic energy. The formula used is:
PEinitial = KEfinal
where PEinitial is the initial potential energy, and KEfinal is the final kinetic energy of the mass just before it strikes the spring.
PEinitial = mgh
where m is the mass of the object,
g is the acceleration due to gravity (9.8 m/s2), and h is the height from which the object is dropped.
Thus, the kinetic energy (KE) can be calculated using:
KE = mgh
KE = (3.175 kg)(9.8 m/s2)(4.063 m)
KE = 126.051 J
Therefore, the kinetic energy of the mass just before it strikes the spring is 126.051 Joules.