A 100 g ball is dropped from height h=10 cm onto a platform attached to a vertical spring. The ball sticks and the platform is depressed by h/2. Find the spring constant in N/m. (g=10 m/s²)

Question

G1 Physics · Accepted Answer

The ball descends total distance h+h/2=0.15 m before maximum compression. Energy conservation gives mg(0.15)=½k(0.05)². Thus 0.1×10×0.15=0.00125k, giving k=120 N/m.