Question

A bullet of mass m moving with velocity v is fired into a wooden block of mass M, If the bullet remains embedded in the block, the final velocity of the system is ____________.

Options

• `("m" + "M")/"m"`

• `("M" + "m")/"mv"`

• `("mv")/("m" + "M")`

• `"v"/("m"("M" + "m"))`

Answer 1

A bullet of mass m moving with velocity v is fired into a wooden block of mass M, If the bullet remains embedded in the block, the final velocity of the system is `underline(("mv")/("m" + "M"))`.

Explanation:

Initially, the block is at rest. Let v' be the final velocity of the bullet-block system.

From law of conservation of momentum, initial momentum = final momentum

mv + M(0) = (m + m)v'

v' = `"mv"/("m" + "M")`