someone fires a 0.04 kg bullet at a block of wood that has a mass of 0.5 kg. (the block of wood is sitting on a frictionless surface, so it moves freely when the bullet hits it). the wood block is initially at rest. the bullet is traveling 300 m/s when it hits the wood block and sticks inside it. now the bullet and the wood block move together as one object. how fast are they traveling?

The speed of bullet and wooden bock coupled together, V = 22.22 m/s

Explanation:

Given that,

Mass of the bullet, m = 0.04 Kg

Mass of the wooden block, M = 0.5 Kg

The initial velocity of the bullet, u = 300 m/s

The initial velocity of the wooden block, U = 0 m/s

The final velocity of the bullet and wooden bock coupled together, V = 0 m/s

According to the conservation of linear momentum, the total momentum of the body after impact is equal to the total momentum before impact.

Therefore,

                              mV + MV = mu + MU

                               V(m+M) = mu

                                 V = mu/(m+M)

Substituting the values in the above equation,

                                V = 0.04 Kg x 300 m/s  / (0.04 Kg+ 0.5 Kg)

                                    = 22.22 m/s

Hence, the speed of bullet and wooden bock coupled together, V = 22.22 m/s

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