BruceW said:Travel at right angles means there is 90 degrees between their paths. For example, one might travel vertically, while the other travels horizontally.
For the question, think about what quantity will be conserved.
BruceW said:Yes, that's the one! You might also think of energy, but when the shell explodes it turns an unknown amount of chemical energy into kinetic energy, so energy conservation doesn't help us here.
So you're right to think of momentum conservation. After the shell explodes, there are 3 pieces, so you need to think of the equation for the total momentum due to several objects.
jasonbans said:i got the velocity to be v2= root square of v^2(m1^2+m2^2) / m3
and the angle to be tan^-1 ( m2/m1)
am i right?
The explosion of a shell is typically caused by an explosive charge, which creates a sudden increase in pressure within the shell. This pressure causes the shell to break apart into smaller pieces, known as fragments.
The fragments of a shell typically have equal masses because the explosive charge is evenly distributed throughout the shell. This results in equal amounts of force being applied to all parts of the shell, causing it to break into equal pieces.
While it is possible for a shell to explode into unequal fragments, it is less common. This can occur if the explosive charge is not evenly distributed, or if the shell is struck at a certain angle that causes it to break unevenly.
The mass distribution of the fragments can be affected by various factors, such as the type and amount of explosive used, the angle and force of impact, and the structural integrity of the shell itself.
The equal mass distribution of the fragments can impact the damage caused by the explosion in various ways. It can result in a more widespread and even distribution of the blast force, potentially causing less concentrated damage. However, it can also result in a larger overall area of damage due to the fragments being spread out more evenly.