Friday 18 May 2012

A cannon initially resting on a frictionless surface of mass m1 = 800 kg (when unloaded) is loaded with a “shot” of mass m2 = 10.0 kg. The cannon is aimed at mass m3 = 7 990 kg, which is connected to a massless spring of force constant k = 4 500 N/m, as in Figure EX5.73a. The cannon is then fired, and the shot inelastically collides with mass m3 and sticks in it, as shown in Figure EX5.73b. The combined system compresses the spring a maximum distance of d = 0.500 m, as in Figure EX5.73c. (a) Determine the speed of m2 just before it collides with m3. (You may assume that m2 travels in a straight line.) (b) Determine the recoil speed of the cannon. (c) The cannon recoils towards the right, and when it passes point A there is friction (with μk = 0.600) between the cannon and the ground. How far to the right of A does the cannon slide before coming to rest?