Question

A bullet of mass m and velocity vo is fired toward a block of mass 4m. The block is initially at rest on a frictionless horizontal surface. The bullet penetrates the block and emerges with a velocity of

Answer 1

The final velocity of the bullet after penetrating the block is vo/5.

Step-by-step explanation:

In this scenario, a bullet of mass m and velocity vo is fired toward a block of mass 4m.

After the bullet penetrates the block, it emerges with a velocity which can be calculated using the principle of conservation of momentum. The momentum before the collision is equal to the momentum after the collision.

Assuming no external forces act on the system, we can write:

mvo = (m + 4m)vf

Simplifying this equation, we find:

vf = (mvo) / (5m)

So, the final velocity of the bullet after penetrating the block is mvo/5m or vo/5.