Physics@Brock

A ballistic pendulum is sometimes used in laboratories to measure the speed of a projectile, such as a bullet. The ballistic pendulum shown in the drawing consists of a block of wood (mass m₂=2.50kg) suspended by a wire of negligible mass. A bullet (mass m₁=0.0100kg) is fired with a speed V₀₁ into the block. Just after the bullet collides with it, the block (with the bullet in it) has a speed V_f and then swings to a maximum height of 0.650m above the initial position. Find the speed of the bullet.

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