...found the initial velocity of the block with the work-energy theorem, and then plugged that into m1v1 = (m1+m2)vf to solve for v1, which was 208.75 m/s (and correct).
It looks like I had some conceptual issues with work-energy and inelastic collisions.
Thanks everyone for your help!
Sorry, forgot to add the question when I was writing it out! It's there now.
Harpoon, you're right. Since this is a completely inelastic collision KEf does not equal KEi. Thank you for the correction. Is this why the work-energy theorem would not work here? Because energy is not conserved?
It...
Hi everyone, this is my first post to the forums. Nice to meet you all and thank you in advance.
Homework Statement
A bullet of mass 6.00g is fired horizontally into a wooden block of mass 1.21kg resting on a horizontal surface. The coefficient of kinetic friction between block and surface is...