Conservation of Linear Momentum of exploding object

In summary, a 3.0-kilogram object initially at rest explodes and splits into three fragments, one with a mass of 0.50 kg flying off along the negative x-axis at a speed of 2.8 m/s, and another with a mass of 1.3 kg flying off along the negative y-axis at a speed of 1.5 m/s. To determine the speed and direction of the third fragment, the horizontal and vertical components of linear momentum must be considered separately. Since the initial momentum is 0 and momentum is conserved, the third fragment must have a momentum that is the negative of the resultant of the first two fragments. This means that the third fragment has negative x and y-components of
  • #1
msesulka
6
0
A 3.0-kilogram object initially at rest explodes and splits into three fragments. One fragment has a mass of 0.50 kg and flies off along the negative x-axis at a speed of 2.8 m/s, and another has a mass of 1.3 kg and flies off along the negative y-axis at a speed of 1.5 m/s. What are the speed and direction of the third fragment?
 
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  • #2
I've been trying to figure this problem out for the past hour can anyone please help me?!
 
  • #3
Consider the horizontal and vertical components of the linear momentum separately (since these components are perpendicular, they can be analyzed independently).
 
  • #4
That's what i thought but i don't know how to incorporate that into the equation mv = mv0
 
  • #5
The initial linear momentum is 0. Thus the final linear momentum is also 0, because momentum is conserved.
 
  • #6
The total momentum of the three vectors need to be zero. This means that the third vector must be the negative of the resultant of the first two. Which means that the third vector has the negative x and y-components of the first two.
 

1. What is the conservation of linear momentum?

The conservation of linear momentum is a fundamental principle in physics that states that the total momentum of a closed system of objects remains constant, unless acted upon by an external force. In simpler terms, it means that the total amount of motion in a system remains the same, even when objects collide or explode.

2. How does the conservation of linear momentum apply to exploding objects?

When an object explodes, it breaks apart into smaller pieces with different velocities. However, the total momentum of all the pieces combined before and after the explosion remains the same. This is because the forces that cause the explosion are internal to the system, and do not affect the total momentum of the system.

3. What factors affect the conservation of linear momentum in an exploding object?

The conservation of linear momentum is affected by the mass, velocity, and direction of the objects involved in the explosion. The total momentum of the system is the sum of the individual momenta of all the objects, and it will remain constant as long as no external forces act on the system.

4. Can the conservation of linear momentum be violated in an exploding object?

No, the conservation of linear momentum is a fundamental law of physics and it cannot be violated. This means that the total momentum of the system will always remain constant, regardless of the type of explosion or the objects involved.

5. How does the conservation of linear momentum contribute to understanding explosions?

The conservation of linear momentum is an important concept in understanding explosions as it helps us predict the motion of objects after an explosion. By considering the mass, velocity, and direction of the objects involved, we can use the principle of conservation of linear momentum to analyze and explain the motion of the exploding objects.

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