An object of mass 3m, initially at rest, explodes breaking into two fragments of mass m and 2m, respectively. Which one of the following statements concerning the fragments after the explosion is true?
A)They will fly off at right angles.
B)They will fly off in the same direction.
C)The smaller fragment will have twice the speed of the larger fragment.
D)The larger fragment will have twice the speed of the smaller fragment.
E)The smaller fragment will have four times the speed of the larger fragment.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Due to conservation of momentum, the smaller fragment (mass m) will have twice the speed of the larger fragment (mass 2m) because momentum is conserved and the initial momentum was zero.

An Object of Mass 3m, Initially at Rest, Explodes Breaking