Question

A small metal object of mass 0.050 kg is moving along the x-axis towards negative x with a constant velocity of 41 m / s. When the object is at x = 5600 m, a chemical reaction inside of it causes an explosion that breaks it apart into three separate chunks of masses 0.023 kg, 0.014 kg, and 0.013 kg. Five seconds after the explosion, the 0.023 kg chunk is at x = −6200 m and the 0.013 kg chunk is at x = −3000 m. Where is the 0.014 kg chunk? Assume that there are no relevant external forces.

Answer 1

after 5 seconds as the position of centre of mass will be same before and after the collision centre of mass will keep on moving as the original particle let the position of 0.014 Kg mass is x for the position of centre of mass 0.023 0.013 * (-3000)0.014 * x - (5600 41 * 5) * 0.050 -6200 solving for x x 33704 m the position of the 0.014 Kg chunk is 33704 m