James T Kirk would be proud

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.. or maybe not. After all, this is test isn't exactly the Kobayashi Maru test, which offers a no-win solution only. I'm such a geek.

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I can't solve the problem at all. Math and I do not agree with one another, so I leave things like that alone.
 
I just want one of the resident brains to solve the original 8th grade level problem. Where are my engineers, baby?
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potential energy of mass due to elevation mgh 3 kg*9.8 m/s^2 * 5 m = 147 N*m

potential energy of the compressed spring will need to equal the potential energy of the elevated mass due to frictionless surface

PE of spring = 1/2 kX^2 = 147 N*m for k=100 N/m x = 1.71 m

as an adder the velocity of the block will be 1/2 M V^2 = 147 N*m

147 / (1/2 *3) = V^2 V= 9.89 m/sec

and the block will rise back to 5 meters since the surface is frictionless.

The student was so close, but that elephant messed everything up


"Captain I think I can get a bit more but she's gonna blow"

-Scotty
 
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and the block will rise back to 5 meters since the surface is frictionless.



... and because the spring is 100% efficient (constant force of spring was a given).

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I suppose the experiment took place in a vacuum. That teacher needs to express himself more clearly.
 
A full grown African elephan stands 13 feet and weights 7 tonnes. That one scales to 12'4", but looks a bit on the chubby side, so I assumed 7 tonnes.

The elephant and block will only make it 2.13mm back up the ramp.
 
On second thought, I did get it right. If it were a constant force, you'd have a rectangle under the graph of force vs. distance, and the area of that rectangle would be the total work. Since you have a sloping line that is zero at one side, you get a triangle, so the area is 1/2 base x height. Height at the point of maximum compression is kx, and base is x, so the area is (kx)(x)/2.
 
What would happen if there is a cloaked D'eridex class Romulan warship lurking around there?

Helm bring her around one hundred eighty degrees, Geordi - get us out of here!
 
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