Question

A firecracker in a coconut blows the coconut into three pieces. Two pieces of equal mass fly off south and west, perpendicular to each other, at 25 m/s . The third piece has twice the mass as the other two. What is the speed of the third piece?

Answer 1

Answer:

v=12.5 i + 12.5 j m/s

Explanation:

Given that

m₁=m₂ = m

m₃ = 2 m

Given that speed of the two pieces

u₁=- 25 j m/s

u₂ =- 25 i m/s

Lets take the speed of the third mass = v m/s

From linear momentum conservation

Pi= Pf

0 = m₁u₁+m₂u₂ + m₃ v

0 = -25 j m  - 25 i m + 2 m v

2 v=25 j   + 25 i m/s

v=12.5 i + 12.5 j m/s

Therefore the speed of the third mass will be v=12.5 i + 12.5 j m/s