a 25gram bullet is fired upward through a .36kg block. the block goes up 17cm in the air and the bullet goes up 24m into the air. What is the initial velocity of the bullet?
assuming the loss of momentum of the bullet equals the gain of momentum of the block....
when the bullet leaves the block, it travels 24m
1/2 mv'^2=mgh h=24m
m is mass of bullet, M is mass block, v' is the velocity of bullet leaving the block. solve for v'
Now, the block.
1/2 Mv"=Mgh h=.17m
solve for the initial velocity of the block,v" after impact.
finally, loss of momentum bullet=momentum of block
mvi-mv'=Mv"
solve for vi