Question

A mass of $36$ kg is kept vertically on the top of a massless spring. What is the maximum compression of the spring if the spring constant is $15000$N/m. Assume $g=10m/s^2$.

• A. 0.02 m
• B. 0.14m
• C. 0.0004m
• D. 0.2m
• E. 42.52m

Answer 1

Answer: (A)

0.02 m

When the maximum compression of the spring occurs, the forces of gravity and that from spring due to compression balance each other.

At that point, $mg=kx$
$⟹x=\frac{mg}{k}$

$=\frac{36\times 10}{15000}$

$\approx 0.02m$