Halliday, Resnick & Walker — Kinetic Energy and Work: Problem 33

The block in Fig. 7.4.1a lies on a horizontal frictionless surface, and the spring constant is 50 N/m. Initially, the spring is at its relaxed length and the block is stationary at position \(x = 0\). Then an applied force with a constant magnitude of 3.0 N pulls the block in the positive direction of the \(x\) axis, stretching the spring until the block stops. When that stopping point is reached, what are (a) the position of the block, (b) the work that has been done on the block by the applied force, and (c) the work that has been done on the block by the spring force? During the block’s displacement, what are (d) the block’s position when its kinetic energy is maximum and (e) the value of that maximum kinetic energy?