A 1385 kg cannon containing a 58.5 kg cannon ball is on wheels. the cannon fires the cannon ball giving it a velocity of 49.8 m/s north. what is the initial velocity of the cannon the instant after it fires the cannon ball?

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Physics

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23 May, 23:04

A 1385 kg cannon containing a 58.5 kg cannon ball is on wheels. the cannon fires the cannon ball giving it a velocity of 49.8 m/s north. what is the initial velocity of the cannon the instant after it fires the cannon ball?

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Skylar Horton · Answer 1

Conservation of momentum requires that the sum of momenta after is equal to that before. Since initially nothing is moving, the sum after the shot will also add to zero.

m₁v₁ = - m₂v₂

Solve for the cannon's velocity v₁

v₁ = - m₂v₂/m₁ = - 2.10m/s

The negative sign means it's moving 2.10m/s south.