Question

A 10.0 N package of whole wheat flour is suddenly placed on the pan of a scale such as you find in grocery stores. The pan is supported from below by a vertical spring of force constant 395 N/m. If the pan has negligible weight, find the maximum distance the spring will be compressed if no energy is dissipated by friction.

Answer 1

0.025 m

Step-by-step explanation:

From the question,

Applying Hook's law

F = ke................... Equation 1

Where F = Force, k = spring constant of the scale, e = maximum distance at which the spring will compress.

make e the subject of the equation

e = F/k....................... Equation 2

Given: F = 10 N, e = 395 N/m

Substitute these values into equation 2

e = 10/395

e = 0.025 m