Spring scales work by measuring the displacement of a spring that supports both the platform of mass mp and the object, of mass m, whose weight is being measured. Most scales read zero when no mass m has been placed on them; that is, they are calibrated so that the weight reading accounts for the mass of the platform mp. Assume that the spring is linear elastic with spring constant k.
Required:
If the mass m is gently placed on the spring scale (it is released from zero height above the scale), determine the maximum reading on the scale after the mass is released.