A basketball explodes into three separate pieces. Two pieces of equal mass shoot off at 20.3 m/s, one travelling to the south and one to the west, perpendicular to each other. The third piece has a mass 4 times the size of one of the other pieces. What is the speed of the third piece? (please give me answer and show how to do it thank you)

1 answer

Final momentum=zero (same as initial momentum)

in the south direction:
M*S+4M*?=0 S=20.3 South
South compoent= 1/4 *20.3 in N direction.

East direction:
M*(-20.4E)+4M(?)=0
East component=20.4/4

Speed=sqrt(S + E)=20.3*sqrt(1/16+1/16)
= 20.3/4 sqrt2