If you want to store 160 J of energy in this spring, should you compress it or stretch it?

Answer :

Answer:

x = 21.7 cm

Explanation:

The energy stored in the spring is given by :

[tex]U=\dfrac{1}{2}kx^2[/tex]

Where

k is spring constant

x is compression or elongation in the spring

Let us assume that the spring constant of the spring is 6740 N/m.

We can find x by using above formula.

[tex]x=\sqrt{\dfrac{2U}{k}} \\\\x=\sqrt{\dfrac{2\times 160}{6740}} \\\\x=0.217\ m[/tex]

or

x = 21.7 cm

Hence, to store 160 J of energy, it must compress 21.7 cm.