Gravitational Potential Energy and Kinetic Energy
 

Gravitational Potential Energy and Kinetic Energy problem 24


A long light cord of length hangs a log of mass (ballistic pendulum). In the horizontal direction, a ball hits the log at a speed of and bounces off the log at a speed of . After an elastic collision of the ball with the log, the cord with the log deviates from the vertical by an angle .


  • How high does the log rise after the collision?

  • What is the speed of the log immediately after the collision?

  • What is the mass of the ball?


Figure 1: Ballistic pendulum.



Note: A ballistic pendulum is a thread (mathematical) pendulum, hanging on long strings, so that its oscillation time is large; it is used to measure the momentum.


 

material editor: Ebenezer Famadewa