On a frictionless horizontal surface, a 1.50-kg mass traveling at 3.50 m/s suddenly collides with and sticks to a 3.00-kg mass that is initially at rest, as shown in the figure. This system then runs into an ideal spring of force constant (spring constant) 50.0 N/cm. (a) What will be the maximum compression distance of the spring? (b) How much mechanical energy is lost during this process? 3.50 m/s k = 50.0 N/cm 1.50 3.00 kg Smooth surface J during the inelastic collision cm, (b) Answer: (a)