Final answer:
To find the acceleration of the block after the bullet strikes and becomes embedded in it, we can use the laws of conservation of momentum. By equating the momentum before and after the collision, we can solve for the final velocity of the block and use Newton's second law to calculate its acceleration. The frictional force between the block and the surface must also be considered in the calculation.
Step-by-step explanation:
To find the acceleration of the block after the bullet strikes, we can use the laws of conservation of momentum. Since the bullet and block move together as one system, the total momentum before and after the collision should be the same. The momentum before the collision can be calculated by multiplying the mass of the bullet (15g or 0.015kg) by its initial velocity, which is unknown. The momentum after the collision can be calculated by adding the mass of the bullet and the mass of the block (1.25kg) and multiplying it by the final velocity, which is also unknown.
Since the bullet becomes embedded in the block, we can assume that the final velocity of the system is the same as the initial velocity of the bullet. By equating the two expressions for momentum before and after the collision, we can solve for the final velocity of the block. Once we have the final velocity, we can use Newton's second law (F = ma) to calculate the acceleration of the block.
Keep in mind that the frictional force between the block and the surface will oppose the motion of the block and affect the acceleration. The frictional force can be determined by multiplying the coefficient of sliding friction (0.25) by the normal force, which is equal to the weight of the block. Finally, we can use the equation of motion (F - frictional force = ma) to calculate the acceleration of the block.