A bullet of mass 6.5 grams is shot onto a a wooden block of mass 0.124 kg that h

Question

A bullet of mass 6.5 grams is shot onto a a wooden block of mass 0.124 kg that hangs through a string attached to the ceiling (like a simple pendulum). The bullet becomes imbedded into the block and the block-bullet system rises to a maximum height of 0.51 m. What was the initial speed of the bullet just before it hit the block?

(Hint: use conservation of momentum and energy to solve the problem.)

***Please be sure to show your work. It is important for me to see how you arrived at the answer. I will rate you, thanks in advance.

Explanation / Answer

Start with conservation of energy

mgh = .5mv^2 (mass cancels)

(9.8)(.51) = (.5)(v^2)

v = 3.16 m/s

Then by conservation of momentum

mv = (m + M)v

(.0065)(v) = (.1305)(3.16)

v = 63.5 m/s

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