Projectile-car system and momentum

  • Thread starter Thread starter Kolika28
  • Start date Start date
  • Tags Tags
    Momentum System
Join the discussion
Ask a follow-up here, or get your own question answered by working scientists, mathematicians and engineers — people, not an autocomplete.
Real named experts · corrections over time · the nuance an AI answer skips
2 replies · 1K views
Kolika28
Messages
146
Reaction score
28
Homework Statement
I don't understand what I'm doing wrong. When it comes to this problem
Relevant Equations
Moment=velocity*mass
1591358454531.png


I have done question 1. But I'm struggling with the other one. So since the only thing I know about the rocket is the mass and the velocity, I guess I have to use momentum to solve this problem. From the first question, I found out that the x-velocity of the projectile is ##v_x=5 m/s*cos(30)=4,33 m/s##. I assume that the momentum of the projectile and the car is 0 before launching the projectile. So ##0=m_{projectile}*v_{projectile}+m_{car}*v_{car}=4,33m/s*1kg-5kg*v_{car}##. Then I get that ##v_{car}=0,866 m/s##. But in the solution I'm given the answer should be ##11,5 m/s##. What I'm a doing wrong?
 
Physics news on Phys.org
Yes, momentum is the way to solve it, and I got the same answer you did.
No idea where the book's answer is coming from. It has the more massive car moving faster than the projectile it fired, which violates horizontal momentum conservation.

11,5 is how many seconds it takes that car to move 10 meters, if that's any help.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Likes   Reactions: Lnewqban and Kolika28
Halc said:
Yes, momentum is the way to solve it, and I got the same answer you did.
No idea where the book's answer is coming from. It has the more massive car moving faster than the projectile it fired, which violates horizontal momentum conservation.
Thank you so much for the answer. I don't know either what's wrong with the solution. But it is good to know that I'm right at least. Thank you again!