Inelastic and elastic collision problems

AI Thread Summary
The discussion revolves around solving two collision problems involving an 8 g rubber bullet and a 2.5 kg pendulum bob. In the first scenario, the bullet embeds in the bob, and participants suggest using inelastic collision principles and conservation of energy to calculate the initial speed and kinetic energy loss. The second scenario involves an elastic collision where the bullet bounces off, requiring the use of momentum conservation to determine the change in velocity and kinetic energy conservation to find the initial and final velocities of both the bullet and the bob. Participants express difficulty in solving these problems due to uncertainties about initial and final velocities. The conversation emphasizes the application of physics principles to analyze collision scenarios effectively.
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1. An 8 g rubber bullet was fired into a 2.5 kg pendulum bob, initially at rest, and becomes embedded in it. The pendulum rises a vertical distance of 6.0 cm.Calculate the initial speed and how much kinetic energy is lost in this collision?

2. An 8 g rubber bullet was fired into a 2.5 kg pendulum bob, initially at rest, and bounces off into the opposite direction. It rises 6.0 cm vertically. (elastic case) What is the velocity of the bob after the collision? Use conservation momentum to find the change in velocity of the bullet. Use conservation of Kinetic energy to find initial velocity of bullet and final velocity of the bullet.

I heard that I needed to use the inelastic collision and the conservation of energy equation for number 1.
0.5*mass*initial velocity^2 +mass*gravitational pull* initial height=0.5*mass*final velocity^2 +mass*gravitational pull* final height.

I triedto solve but could not because i did not know the initial velocity of the bullet and the final velocity.
 
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