Consider a ballistic pendulum.

Question

The mass of the bullet is 0.80000kg and the mass of the block of wood is 200.0kg. The bullet has an initial speed of 260.0m/s. Determine, using conservation of linear momentum and mechanical energy, the speed of the block and bullet immediately after the collision. Also, calculate the maximum height of the block and bullet.

Answer 1

Initial Momentum = mass of bullet * Velocity of bullet = 08 *260 = 208.0 kgm/s

Final Momentum of bullet and block of wood = ( M+m ) V = 200.8 V kgm/s

Using conservation of linear Momentum

208.0 = 200.8* V

Gives V = 1.036 m/s = Speed of Block with bullet in it

Kinetic Energy of System = 1/2 (M+m ) V² = Gravitational Potential Energy = (M +m) gH

1/2 V² = gH

H = V²/2g = 1.036*1.036 / (2*9.8) = 0.054 m