Question

A(n) 5.52 g bullet is fired into a(n) 3.07 kg ballistic pendulum and becomes embedded in it.The acceleration of gravity is 9.8 m/s^2. If the pendulum rises a vertical distance of 4.48 cm, calculate the initial speed of the bullet. Answer in units of m/s

Answer 1

Apply conservation of energy during the upward swing to compute the velocity of the pendulm with imbedded bullet.

V= sqrt(2gH)= 0.937 m/s

Then apply conservatuion of momentum to the bullet-imbedding process to compute the initial velocity of the bullet, v.

v*m = (M+m)V

m = bullet mass.
M = pendulum mass

Solve for v.