During a circus act, a performer thrills the crowd by catching a cannon ball shot at him. The cannon ball has a mass of m1 = 7.5 kg and the horizontal component of its velocity is v = 8.85 m/s when the performer, of mass m2 = 61.5 kg, catches it.

If the performer is on nearly frictionless roller skates, what is his recoil velocity?

Question

Jake Mueller

Physics

20 July, 05:38

During a circus act, a performer thrills the crowd by catching a cannon ball shot at him. The cannon ball has a mass of m1 = 7.5 kg and the horizontal component of its velocity is v = 8.85 m/s when the performer, of mass m2 = 61.5 kg, catches it.

If the performer is on nearly frictionless roller skates, what is his recoil velocity?

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Answers (1)

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Rachael Downs · Answer 1

We shall apply law of conservation of momentum.

total Initial momentum =

7.5 x 8.85 = 66.375 kg m / s

total mass = 7.5 + 61.5 = 69 kg, common velocity of ball and performer be v

Total momentum = 69 v

69 v = 66.375

v = 66.375 / 69

=.962 m / s.