Answer
The total kinetic energy after separation is greater than the total kinetic energy before separation because the spring potential energy that was stored in the compressed spring was transformed into kinetic energy after the spring was released.
Work Step by Step
In part (c), we found that the total kinetic energy before separation is $~~1.270\times 10^{10}~J$
In part (d), we found that the total kinetic energy after separation is $~~1.275\times 10^{10}~J$
The total kinetic energy after separation is greater than the total kinetic energy before separation because the spring potential energy that was stored in the compressed spring was transformed into kinetic energy after the spring was released.
