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The diagram shows a bullet moving towards a wooden block - Edexcel - GCSE Physics - Question 4 - 2013 - Paper 1

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The diagram shows a bullet moving towards a wooden block. The bullet is moving with a velocity of 170 m/s. The mass of the bullet is 0.030 kg. Show that the momentu... show full transcript

Worked Solution & Example Answer:The diagram shows a bullet moving towards a wooden block - Edexcel - GCSE Physics - Question 4 - 2013 - Paper 1

Step 1

The bullet is moving with a velocity of 170 m/s. The mass of the bullet is 0.030 kg. Show that the momentum of the bullet is about 5.0 kg m/s.

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Answer

To find the momentum of the bullet, we can use the formula for momentum:

extMomentum=extMassimesextVelocity ext{Momentum} = ext{Mass} imes ext{Velocity}

Substituting the values:

extMomentum=0.030extkgimes170extm/s ext{Momentum} = 0.030 ext{ kg} imes 170 ext{ m/s}

Calculating this yields:

extMomentum=5.1extkgm/s ext{Momentum} = 5.1 ext{ kg m/s}

Thus, we can conclude that the momentum of the bullet is about 5.0 kg m/s.

Step 2

The bullet collides with the wooden block and sticks in it. The bullet and the wooden block move off together. Calculate the velocity of the wooden block and bullet immediately after the collision.

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Answer

To find the velocity after the collision, we apply the principle of conservation of momentum. The total momentum before the collision should equal the total momentum after the collision.

  1. Calculate the total momentum before the collision: extMomentumextbefore=extMomentumofbullet+extMomentumofwoodenblock ext{Momentum}_{ ext{before}} = ext{Momentum of bullet} + ext{Momentum of wooden block} Since the wooden block is at rest: extMomentumextbefore=5.1extkgm/s+0extkgm/s=5.1extkgm/s ext{Momentum}_{ ext{before}} = 5.1 ext{ kg m/s} + 0 ext{ kg m/s} = 5.1 ext{ kg m/s}

  2. Let the final velocity of the combined bullet and wooden block be vv. The mass after collision is: extTotalmass=0.030extkg+0.80extkg=0.83extkg ext{Total mass} = 0.030 ext{ kg} + 0.80 ext{ kg} = 0.83 ext{ kg}

  3. Set the momentum after the collision equal to the momentum before: 5.1=0.83imesv5.1 = 0.83 imes v

  4. Solving for vv gives:

    v ext{ } ext{approximately equals } ext{ 6.15 m/s}$$

Thus, the velocity of the wooden block and bullet immediately after the collision is approximately 6.1 m/s.

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