Question

n a ballistics test, a potato gun shoots a 0.34 kg potato into a 5.0 kg catching cart. The cart recoils at 3.7 m/s after catching the potato. Determine the initial velocity of the potato.

Answer 1

The initial velocity of the potato is 54.41 m/s.

The given parameters:

• Mass of the potato, m = 0.34 kg
• Mass of the cart, m = 5.0 kg
• Velocity of the recoil, u₂ = 3.7 m/s

The initial velocity of the potato is calculated by applying the principle of conservation of energy as follows;

$m_1u_1 = m_2 u_2\\\\u_1 = \frac{m_2 u_2}{m_1} \\\\u_1 = \frac{5 \times 3.7}{0.34} \\\\u_1 = 54.41 \ m/s$

Thus, the initial velocity of the potato is 54.41 m/s.

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