A 2.00-g bullet hits and becomes embedded in a 5.00-kg wood block which is hanging from a 1.20-m long string. This causes the block to swing through an arc of 3.50°. What was the speed of the bullet before it hit the block?
A) 16.7 m/s
B) 524 m/s
C) 25.3 m/s
D) 262 m/s
E) 789 m/s

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The speed of the bullet can be found using conservation of energy and momentum. First, calculate the height the block rises using the arc angle and string length. Then, use potential energy to find the velocity of the block and bullet system after collision. Finally, apply conservation of momentum to find the initial speed of the bullet.

A 200-G Bullet Hits and Becomes Embedded in a 5