An object with total mass mtotal = 15.8 kg is sitting at rest when it explodes into three pieces. One piece with mass m1 = 4.5 kg moves up and to the left at an angle of θ1 = 18° above the –x axis with a speed of v1 = 27.5 m/s. A second piece with mass m2 = 5.4 kg moves down and to the right an angle of θ2 = 23° to the right of the -y axis at a speed of v2 = 21.4 m/s. 1)What is the magnitude of the final momentum of the system (all three pieces)?

Explanation:

total mass, M = 15.8 kg

initial velocity, u = 0 m/s

m1 = 4.5 kg

m2 = 5.4 kg

v1 = 27.5 m/s at an angle 18°

v2 = 21.4 m/s at an angle 23°

As there is no external force acts on the system, so the moemntum of the system is conserved.

Momentum before collision = momentum after collision

as the momentum before collision is zero, so the momentum after collision is also zero.

answer; how far out of place which the object finished relative to the starting location;