How can a ballistic pendulum measure the speed of a bullet?

A ballistic pendulum is a device used to measure the speed of a bullet. A bullet of mass m is fired at a block of wood (mass M) hanging from a string. The bullet embeds itself in the block, and causes the combined block plus bullet system to swing up a height h.

What is the speed of the block immediately after the bullet hits?

23 m/s.
The block rests on a frictionless surface, and is thin enough that the bullet passes completely through it. Immediately after the bullet exits the block, the speed of the block is 23 m/s.

What does a ballistic pendulum measure?

ballistic pendulum, device for measuring the velocity of a projectile, such as a bullet. A large wooden block suspended by two cords serves as the pendulum bob. When a bullet is fired into the bob, its momentum is transferred to the bob. The bullet’s momentum can be determined from the amplitude of the pendulum swing.

Does the bullet enter the block with the same speed in a physical experiment?

So the momentum of the bullet and block must be the same no matter where the bullet hit the block. Both blocks will have the same speed after the collision with the bullet.

What is a ballistic pendulum physics?

A ballistic pendulum is a device used to determine the speed of a bullet. Use the masses of the block and bullet, the maximum height reached, and the concepts of conservation of momentum and energy to calculate the initial velocity of the bullet.

How does a ballistic pendulum work?

Why ballistic pendulum is used?

A ballistic pendulum is a device for measuring a bullet’s momentum, from which it is possible to calculate the velocity and kinetic energy. In addition its primary uses of measuring the velocity of a projectile or the recoil of a gun, the ballistic pendulum can be used to measure any transfer of momentum.

Why is the experiment called a ballistic pendulum?

The “ballistic pendulum” carries this name because it provides a simple method of determining the speed of a bullet shot from a gun. For the ballistic pendulum experiment, the projectile launcher from the projectile motion laboratory is mounted horizontally so that the pendulum can catch the emerging steel ball.

How does the ballistic pendulum work?

What are ballistic pendulums used for?

A ballistic pendulum is a device for measuring a projectiles momentum, primarily for small arms. From which it is possible to calculate the velocity and kinetic energy. Ballistic pendulums have been largely rendered obsolete by modern chronographs, which allow direct measurement of the projectile velocity.