Answer:
3.92 cm
Explanation:
Assuming spring cinstant of 800 N/m, we know that the potential energy is transformed to kinetic energy in spring hence
[tex]mgx=0.5kx^{2}[/tex] where m is the mass of the block, g is acceleration due to gravity, x is the extent of compression of the spring and k is spring constant. Making x the subject of the above formula then [tex]x=\frac {2mg}{k}[/tex]
Substituting 1.6 kg for m, 9.81 for g and 800 N/m for k then
[tex]x=\frac {2*1.6*9.81}{800}=0.03924m\approx 3.92cm[/tex]