Question

A block of mass m, attached to a spring of spring constant k, oscillates on a smooth horizontal table. The other end of the spring is fixed to a wall. If it has a speed v when the spring is at its natural length, how far will it move on the table before coming to an instantaneous rest?

• A. .
• B. .
• C. .
• D. None of these

Answer 1

The correct option is A

.

Consider the block + the spring as the system. The external forces acting on the system are (a) the force of gravity, (b) the normal force by the table and (c) the force by the wall. None of these do any work on this system and hence the total mechanical energy is conserved. If the block moves a distance x before coming to rest, we have,

$\frac{1}{2}m{v}^2=\frac{1}{2}k{x}^2$

$x=v\sqrt{\frac{m}{k}}$.

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