Answer to Question #169926 in Mechanics | Relativity for ella

Question

Students launch identical marbles of mass mm horizontally from a toy cannon of varying mass MC, where MC is always greater than mm, as shown above. The students can attach weights to the cannon to change MC. Each time a marble is launched, the cannon slides backward before coming to rest. The coefficient of kinetic friction between the cannon and the ground is μ (mu). For each launch, the students vary the mass of the cannon and launch a marble with the same speed v relative to the ground. The students record the distance x that the cannon slides backward.

(a) Without manipulating equations, explain how the distance x that the cannon slides backward changes, if at all, when marbles are launched from more massive cannons.

Answer 1

The distance x increases as the student increase the mass of the cannon.

Explanation:

From the question ; we get to understand that for each launch, the students use a different mass which is launch at speed v relative to the ground.

This changes in the mass used brought about a change in the momentum at the same speed v ; perhaps an increase in momentum. However; since the conservation of the momentum is considered at each launching.

The momentum of the marble = momentum of the cannon

But since the momentum of the cannon increase ; therefore the same equivalent changes takes place in its kinetic energy . Therefore , the kinetic energy will increase and the distance will also increase in the bid to quench the amount of energy generated. Thus, the distance x increases as the student increase the mass of the cannon.