An artillery shell of mass 8.0 kg is fired horizontally at 250 m/s from a mobile gun of mass 1,000 kg on a frictionless track. Determine the recoil velocity of the gun.
Answer and explanation
Correct answer: A. -2.0 m/s
- Step 1: Apply conservation of linear momentum: Total initial momentum = Total final momentum. 0 = M V + m v. Step 2. Substitute values: 0 = (1000)V + (8.0)(250) => 1000V = -2000 => V = -2.0 m/s. The negative sign signifies recoil in opposite direction. Answer: -2.0 m/s. Why not the others: -4.0 m/s doubles momentum; -1.5 m/s and -0.8 m/s represent incorrect mass quotients.
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