A block of mass M is attached to the lower end of a vertical spring. The spring is hung from a ceiling and has force constant value k. The mass is released from rest with the spring initially unstretched. The maximum extension produced in the length of the spring will be
- 2Mg/k
- 4Mg/k
- Mg/2k
- Mg/k
Answer
(1) 2Mg/k
Solution
Let the maximum extension be x. At this point the block is momentarily at rest.
Loss in gravitational PE = gain in spring PE
Mgx = 12kx2
x = 2Mgk
Answer: (1)