Systems of Particles and Conservation of Momentum 597

115 ••
Picture the Problem Let the zero of gravitational potential energy be at the elevation of
the 1-kg block. We can use conservation of energy to find the speed of the bob just
before its perfectly elastic collision with the block and conservation of momentum to
find the speed of the block immediately after the collision. We’ll apply Newton’s 2nd law
to find the acceleration of the sliding block and use a constant-acceleration equation to
find how far it slides before coming to rest.
(a) Use conservation of energy to ∆K + ∆U = 0
find the speed of the bob just before or
its collision with the block: K − K +U −U = 0
f i f i

Because Ki = Uf = 0: 1
2
2
mball vball + mball g∆h = 0
and
vball = 2 g∆h

Substitute numerical values and ( )

vball = 2 9.81 m/s 2 (2 m ) = 6.26 m/s
evaluate vball:

Because the collision is perfectly vblock = vball = 6.26 m/s

elastic and the ball and block have
the same mass:

(b) Using a constant-acceleration vf2 = vi2 + 2ablock ∆x

equation, relate the displacement of Since vf = 0,
the block to its acceleration and
− vi2 − v2
initial speed and solve for its ∆x = = block
2ablock 2ablock
displacement:
r r
Apply ∑ F = ma to the sliding ∑F x = − f k = mablock
block: and
∑F y = Fn − mblock g = 0

Using the definition of fk (µkFn) ablock = − µ k g

eliminate fk and Fn between the two
equations and solve for ablock:

Substitute for ablock to obtain: − vblock

2
v2
∆x = = block
− 2µ k g 2µ k g
598 Chapter 8

Substitute numerical values and

∆x =
(6.26 m/s)2 = 20.0 m
evaluate ∆x: 2(0.1) (9.81 m/s 2 )

*116 ••
Picture the Problem We can use conservation of momentum in the horizontal direction
to find the recoil velocity of the car along the track after the firing. Because the shell will
neither rise as high nor be moving as fast at the top of its trajectory as it would be in the
absence of air friction, we can apply the work-energy theorem to find the amount of
thermal energy produced by the air friction.

No. The vertical reaction force of the rails is an external force and so
(a)
the momentum of the system will not be conserved.

(b) Use conservation of momentum ∆p x = 0

in the horizontal (x) direction to or
obtain: mv cos 30° − Mvrecoil = 0

Solve for and evaluate vrecoil: mv cos 30°

vrecoil =
M

Substitute numerical values and

vrecoil =
(200 kg )(125 m/s)cos30°
evaluate vrecoil: 5000 kg
= 4.33 m/s

(c) Using the work-energy theorem, Wext = Wf = ∆Esys = ∆U + ∆K

relate the thermal energy produced
by air friction to the change in the
energy of the system:

Substitute for ∆U and ∆K to obtain: Wext = mgyf − mgyi + 12 mvf2 − 12 mvi2

(
= mg ( yf − yi ) + 12 m vf2 − vi2 )
Substitute numerical values and evaluate Wext:

( ) [
Wext = (200 kg ) 9.81 m/s 2 (180 m ) + 12 (200 kg ) (80 m/s ) − (125 m/s ) = − 569 kJ
2 2
]