An 18-g rifle bullet travelling 230 m/s buries itself in a 3.6-kg pendulum hanging on a 2.8-m-long string, which makes the pendulum swing upward in an arc. Determine the horizontal component of the pendulum's displacement.
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Answer:
Using Principle of conservation of momentum,
m1v1 + m2v2 = (m1 + m2)V
(0.018)(230) + (3.6)(0) = (3.6 + 0.018)(V)
V = 1.14 ms-1
Using conservation of energy,
mgh = ½mv²
h = 0.0667 m
Hence, from diagram above, horizontal displacement, d, is given by
= 0.608 m
