Final answer:
The depth a bullet penetrates into a block on a frictionless surface should be the same as when the block is held in a vise. This assumes there are no changes in the bullet's conditions or the material properties of the wood.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question is about predicting the depth a bullet will penetrate into a block of wood placed on a frictionless surface compared to its depth when the block is held in a vise. This scenario involves concepts such as momentum conservation, energy conservation, and possibly material resistance to penetration. Considering that the conditions of the bullet (mass and speed) and the block (mass) are the same in both cases, and ignoring any material changes in the wood, the depth of penetration should be the same in both scenarios. This is because the bullet will lose the same amount of kinetic energy in coming to a halt inside the wood. The only difference here is that when the block is on a frictionless surface, the block will be free to move, and so it will gain some kinetic energy, which means the bullet-block system will conserve momentum. However, since the question asks for the penetration depth, not the final velocities, and assuming the bullet penetrates to the same depth, the energy loss due to penetration should still be the same.