What is the spring constant?

Question

A ball of mass 4 Kg is released from rest at a height 50m above the spring. The ball compresses the spring by 5 m. What is the spring constant? Use g= 10 m/s^2

Answer 1

This can be solved by using the conservation of energy. The potential energy of the ball at a height of 50 m must equal the potential energy stored in the spring when it is compressed. Expressed mathematically,

mgh = 1/2 * k * x²

where k is the spring constant and x is the compressed distance of the spring. Can you solve for k?