Calculate Magnitude of Target Body Momentum After Projectile Collision

AI Thread Summary
The discussion revolves around calculating the momentum of a target body after a collision with a projectile. A 1.9 kg projectile strikes a stationary target at 4.8 m/s, deflecting at an angle of 59.6° with a post-collision speed of 3.0 m/s. Momentum conservation principles are applied, leading to the equations for initial and final momentum components. The user struggles with correctly applying the equations and maintaining clarity between initial and final states. The conversation emphasizes the importance of separating momentum components in both parallel and perpendicular directions to solve for the target body's momentum.
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A projectile of mass 1.9 kg approaches a stationary target body at 4.8 m/s. The projectile is deflected through an angle of 59.6° and its speed after the collision is 3.0 m/s. What is the magnitude of the momentum of the target body after the collision?

Here momentum is conserved so Pi = Pf

3m/s*1.9kg*sin(59.6) = 4.92
3m/s*1.9kg*cos(59.6) = 2.88

i plugged it into
M1V1i + M2V2i = M1V1f + M2V2f
(1.9)(4.8) + M2V2i = 4.92 + 2.88
9.12 + M2V2i = 7.8
M2V2i = 1.32

however, my answer is wrong and i think it's b/c i plugged in numbers incorrectly.
 
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kbyws37 said:
A projectile of mass 1.9 kg approaches a stationary target body at 4.8 m/s. The projectile is deflected through an angle of 59.6° and its speed after the collision is 3.0 m/s. What is the magnitude of the momentum of the target body after the collision?

Here momentum is conserved so Pi = Pf

3m/s*1.9kg*sin(59.6) = 4.92
3m/s*1.9kg*cos(59.6) = 2.88

i plugged it into
M1V1i + M2V2i = M1V1f + M2V2f
(1.9)(4.8) + M2V2i = 4.92 + 2.88
9.12 + M2V2i = 7.8
M2V2i = 1.32

however, my answer is wrong and i think it's b/c i plugged in numbers incorrectly.
You need to keep your "1"s and "2"s and your "i"s and "f"s straight. You should have 2 equations. One for the direction the projectile was moving before collision, and one for the perpendicular direction.
 
Before collision
m1v1 = (1.9)(4.8) = 9.12

After collision
3m/s*1.9kg*sin(59.6) = 4.92
which is in the perpendicular direction

i'm not quite sure what to do next
 
kbyws37 said:
Before collision
m1v1 = (1.9)(4.8) = 9.12

After collision
3m/s*1.9kg*sin(59.6) = 4.92
which is in the perpendicular direction

i'm not quite sure what to do next
The sum of the momentum components perpendicular to the initial momentum must be zero. The sum of the momentum components parallel to the initial momentum must equal the initial momentum. Write the momentum components for the target in terms of an unknown angle, and write two equations, one for the sum of the parallel components and one for the sum of the perpendicular components.
 
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