Halliday, Resnick & Walker — Kinetic Energy and Work: Problem 32

Figure 7.22 gives spring force \( F_x \) versus position \( x \) for the spring–block arrangement of Fig. 7.4.1. The scale is set by \( F_s = 160.0 \text{ N} \). We release the block at \( x = 12 \text{ cm} \). How much work does the spring do on the block when the block moves from \( x_i = +8.0 \text{ cm} \) to (a) \( x = +5.0 \text{ cm} \), (b) \( x = -5.0 \text{ cm} \), (c) \( x = -8.0 \text{ cm} \), and (d) \( x = -10.0 \text{ cm} \)?