Question

Bats are extremely adept at catching insects in midair. If a 41.3-g bat flying in one direction at 6.05 m/s catches a 6.45-g insect flying in the opposite direction at 3.05 m/s, what is the speed of the bat immediately after catching the insect?

Answer 1

To find the speed of the bat after catching the insect, we can use the principle of conservation of momentum. By considering the momentum of the bat and the insect before and after the catch, we can solve for the final velocity of the bat.

Step-by-step explanation:

To find the speed of the bat immediately after catching the insect, we can use the principle of conservation of momentum. Since momentum is a vector quantity, we need to consider the directions of the bat and the insect. The initial momentum of the bat is calculated by multiplying its mass (41.3 g) by its initial velocity (6.05 m/s), and the initial momentum of the insect is calculated by multiplying its mass (6.45 g) by its initial velocity (-3.05 m/s).

Considering the conservation of momentum, the final momentum of the bat and the insect together is zero. So, we can set up the equation:

(41.3 g) * (6.05 m/s) + (6.45 g) * (-3.05 m/s) = (combined mass) * (final velocity)

By solving this equation, we can find the final velocity of the bat after catching the insect.