The Conversion of Gravitational Energy to Spring Potential Energy

How is gravitational energy converted to spring potential energy?

When a mass is dropped from a certain height above a vertical spring, how does the gravitational energy transform into spring potential energy?

Answer:

Gravitational energy is converted to spring potential energy through the compression of the spring.

When a mass is dropped from a certain height above a vertical spring, such as in the given scenario, gravitational energy is converted to spring potential energy through the compression of the spring. This process follows the law of energy conservation, where the potential energy due to gravity of the object is transformed into the potential energy stored in the spring.

In the provided equation, the gravitational energy of the object dropping from a height above the spring is equated to the potential energy stored in the compressed spring. By solving the equation, we can determine the distance the spring is compressed as a result of the gravitational energy conversion.