A load with a mass of m = 1.0 kg is suspended from a light spring with a stiffness of k = 200 N / m.

A load with a mass of m = 1.0 kg is suspended from a light spring with a stiffness of k = 200 N / m. The load is raised to a position where the spring becomes undeformed and lowered without initial velocity. Determine the maximum spring deflection.

free fall acceleration on the Earth’s surface g ≈ 10 m / s2;
weight of cargo m = 1.0 kg;
coefficient of spring stiffness k = 200 N / m.

Find: x is the maximum deformation of the spring in meters.

Let’s find the weight of the load.

P = m * g = 1 * 10 = 10 N.

Let us use the formula for the tension deformation of the spring Fel = – kx.

P = Fcont.

10 = kx.

x = 10 / k = 10/200 = 0.05 m.

Answer: the maximum deformation of the spring is 0.05 meters (5 cm).