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Exploding Projectile

 

Start Animation

A 4-kg projectile explodes into only 2 pieces as shown in the animation (position is given in meters and time is given in seconds) .

  1. What is the mass of each of the pieces?
  2. Suppose that your lab partner calculates the center of mass of the system after both pieces hit the ground, and your lab partner proclaims, "This is where the projectile would have landed if it had not exploded." Is your lab partner correct? Provide both a mathematical argument and a theoretical argument.
  3. Click here to see the answer to the previous question. Note that the black object represents the original projectile (even after the explosion), and the gray object is the center of mass of the system. Obviously, the projectile (black) would not exist after the explosion, so the black mark is at the position of the projectile if it had never exploded.

 

 

 

are scriptable Java Applets written by Wolfgang Christian of Davison College.


High Point University       Last modified:   5/24/13 11:23 AM