Question

a target of mass 400 g moving with a horizontal speed of 10m/s is hit by a bullet of mass 0.01 kg moving in the opposite direction if both the bullet and the target come to rest after the collision. Calculate the velocity of the bullet at the time of striking the target.

Answer 1

As the linear momentum is conserved and the momentum after collision is zero. The sum of linear momenta is zero before collision.

0.4 kg * 10m/s - 0.01kg V = 0

V = 4/0.01 = 400 m/s in the direction opposite to that of target.