How Fast Was the Bullet Going Initially?

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SUMMARY

The discussion centers on calculating the initial velocity of a bullet that embeds itself in a block of wood, resulting in the block rising 25 cm. The relevant physics concepts include conservation of momentum and kinematic equations. The user initially attempted to apply an incorrect formula for momentum, indicating a need for clarification on the relationship between the bullet's velocity and the height achieved by the block. The correct approach involves using the kinematic equation to determine the initial velocity required to reach 25 cm, followed by applying conservation of linear momentum to find the bullet's initial speed.

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  • Understanding of conservation of momentum
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  • Basic knowledge of mass and velocity concepts
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dcangulo
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A 2.0 kg block of wood rests on a tabletop. A 7.0 kg bullet is shot straight up through a hole in the table beneath the block. The bullet lodges in the block, and the block flies 25 cm above the tabletop. How fast was the bullet going initially?

i tried using this formula:
p= [m[tex]_{}b[/tex]/(m[tex]_{}w[/tex](sin90))]v[tex]_{}b[/tex]

but it doesn't give me the velocity of anything
maybe I am using the wrong the formula for this?
does the 25cm play a part in anything??
 
Physics news on Phys.org
Using kinematic equation, find the initial velocity of block and bullet to reach a height 25 cm above table top. Then applying the conservation linear momentum find the velocity of the bullet.
 

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