Final answer:
To calculate the speed of the 4.00-kg block just before it strikes the floor, we can use energy methods. The potential energy of the block is converted into kinetic energy as it falls.
Step-by-step explanation:
To calculate the speed of the 4.00-kg block just before it strikes the floor, we can use energy methods. The potential energy of the block is converted into kinetic energy as it falls. Using the work-energy theorem, we can set the initial potential energy of the block equal to the final kinetic energy:
m * g * h = 0.5 * m * v^2
where m is the mass of the block, g is the acceleration due to gravity, h is the height the block falls, and v is the final velocity of the block. Rearranging the equation and solving for v, we get:
v = sqrt(2 * g * h)
Plugging in the values given in the problem, we have:
v = sqrt(2 * 9.8 m/s^2 * 1.0 m) = 4.43 m/s