Block sliding down hill splits into two blocks

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SUMMARY

The discussion centers on a physics problem involving a block of mass 11,000 kg sliding down a 1,000 m slope at a 40-degree angle, with a coefficient of friction of 0.1. The block splits into two smaller blocks (m1 = 10,000 kg and m2 = 1,000 kg) at a height of 422 m, and the goal is to determine their velocities immediately after the split while conserving energy. Participants highlight the importance of understanding the conditions under which the blocks split and emphasize that energy conservation principles must be applied correctly to avoid miscalculations.

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TGProm
I am currently working on this problem and I am stuck as to how to approach or solve it. The problem is that a block of mass 11000kg is sliding down a slope with a height of 1000m, angle of 40 degrees and the coefficient of friction between the block and the slope is 0.1. The block splits apart into two blocks (m1 = 10000kg, m2 = 1000kg) at a height of 422m. I am trying to determine their velocity directly after the blocks split, so that energy is conserved. Any insight on how to tackle this problem would be greatly appreciated and please let me know if any clarification is needed.

Thank you
 
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What causes the blocks to split?
 
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Khashishi said:
What causes the blocks to split?
That information was not provided.
 
The velocity is unchanged.
 
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CWatters said:
The velocity is unchanged.
I tried that approach but ended up with an energy loss. Energy is conserved in the system, so would that energy loss be considered loss of kinetic energy?
 
The answer is undefined. If the information is provided, then this becomes an elementary homework problem. But for now, it's just an incomplete problem.
 
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Khashishi said:
The answer is undefined. If the information is provided, then this becomes an elementary homework problem. But for now, it's just an incomplete problem.
How would you determine the energy required to break/split the block into two pieces?
 
Are the two pieces initially bonded together? Or just sitting on each other? If the latter, you need to know the friction between the pieces and the angle between them.
 
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Khashishi said:
Are the two pieces initially bonded together? Or just sitting on each other? If the latter, you need to know the friction between the pieces and the angle between them.
Initially bonded together, or the block broke into two pieces.
 
  • #10
Who knows? You are asking how to solve an underspecified problem by making up details.
 
  • #11
Khashishi said:
Who knows? You are asking how to solve an underspecified problem by making up details.
How would you solve for either of those cases? As in either could have occurred in this problem.
 
  • #12
This is homework and should have been placed in the Homework section, and should have a template. There some answers so it cannot be locked. Moved to homework.
 
  • #13
CWatters said:
The velocity is unchanged.

TGProm said:
I tried that approach but ended up with an energy loss.

Please show your working because there cannot be a loss of energy if energy is conserved.

Consider two people going down hill on roller skates holding hands. If they let go of each other then the velocity before and after is the same.
 

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