Final answer:
The arrangement of a spring and a block typically found in physics problems involves the block being attached to the spring. The system reaches an equilibrium position where the force of the spring balances the weight of the block. This setup enables the block to exhibit Simple Harmonic Motion (SHM) when disturbed.
Step-by-step explanation:
The arrangement of a spring and a block in the context provided consists of the block being attached to the spring. In this setup, when the spring is fixed at one end and the block is attached to the other, the block reaches an equilibrium position where the downward force due to the weight of the block is balanced by the upward force exerted by the spring. This is evident in the description provided where at equilibrium (y1 = y0 - Δy), the block is static because the forces are equal and opposite.
On a frictionless horizontal surface, a similar situation is described in which a spring with a specific force constant is attached to a block and the other end to the wall. At the equilibrium position marked as x = 0, the block's spring system is not experiencing any net force. When a block is attached to a vertically hung spring or placed on a horizontal frictionless table, the block is capable of oscillating in Simple Harmonic Motion (SHM). Additionally, if the block is pushed and the spring is compressed, the potential energy stored can be calculated and related to the speed of the block when it returns to the equilibrium position.