Physics 9702 · AS & A Level · Linear momentum and its conservation

Linear momentum and its conservation — practice question

A lead pellet is fired vertically upwards into a clay block, which is at rest at the instant of impact but can move upwards freely after the impact. The pellet has a mass of $5.0\ \text{g}$ and the clay block has a mass of $95\ \text{g}$. The pellet strikes the block with an initial vertical velocity of $200\ \text{m s}^{-1}$. It becomes embedded in the block and does not come out. How high above its starting position does the block rise?

  • A$5.1\ \text{m}$
  • B$5.6\ \text{m}$
  • C$10\ \text{m}$
  • D$100\ \text{m}$

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