Chapter 8, Problem 19P

Combining conservation laws. A 15.0 kg block is attached to a very light horizontal spring of force constant 500.0 N/m and is resting on a frictionless horizontal table. (See Figure 8.38) Suddenly it is struck by a 3.00 kg stone traveling horizontally at 8.00 m/s to the right, whereupon the stone rebounds at 2.00 m/s horizontally to the left. Find the maximum distance that the block will compress the spring after the collision. (Hint: Break this problem into two parts—the collision and the behaviour after the collision—and apply the appropriate conservation law to each part.)

Figure 8.38

Problem 19.