Conservation of momentum and kinematics - exploding artillery shell

In summary, an artillery shell of mass 10 kg is launched at 3,000 ft/sec at a 30 degree angle and explodes 5 seconds later, splitting into two pieces of mass 3 kg and 7 kg. Neglecting air resistance, the 3 kg piece lands 4 seconds later at a point 20,000 ft east and 3,000 ft north of the launch point. Using the equations mv=m1v1 + m2v2 and x=x0+v0T+.5at^2, the next step is to split the problem into x, y, and z components to solve for the time and location of the landing for the second piece.
  • #1
khfrekek92
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Homework Statement



An artillery shell of mass 10 kg is launched due east at 3,000 ft/sec at an angle of 30 degrees above the horizontal. It explodes 5 seconds later, and splits into 2 pieces - one of mass m1 3 kg and the other m2 of mass 7 kg. Neglect air resistance. The 3 kg piece lands 4 seconds after the explosion at a point 20,000 ft. east and 3,000 ft north of the launch point. When and where does the second piece land?

Homework Equations



mv=m1v1 + m2v2
x=x0+v0T+.5at^2

The Attempt at a Solution



I'm pretty sure these are the equations you are supposed to use, but I don't know where to go from there. I need to split it up into the x,y, and z components, right? then what?
 
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  • #2
Try it. After you split everything into x,y,z components, how many pieces of your two equations do you already know?
 

Related to Conservation of momentum and kinematics - exploding artillery shell

1. What is the conservation of momentum?

The conservation of momentum is a fundamental principle in physics that states that the total momentum of a closed system remains constant over time. This means that the total momentum before and after a collision or explosion will be the same.

2. How does the conservation of momentum apply to an exploding artillery shell?

When an artillery shell explodes, the initial momentum of the shell is conserved in the resulting fragments and shock wave. This means that the total momentum of the shell and its fragments will be the same before and after the explosion.

3. What is the equation for momentum?

The equation for momentum is p = mv, where p is momentum, m is mass, and v is velocity. This equation also applies to systems with multiple objects, where the total momentum is the sum of the individual momenta of the objects.

4. How does the conservation of momentum relate to kinematics?

Kinematics is the study of motion without considering the forces that cause the motion. The conservation of momentum is a principle that explains how the motion of objects in a system will change in response to external forces, such as collisions or explosions.

5. What are some real-world applications of the conservation of momentum and kinematics?

The conservation of momentum and kinematics are important principles in many fields, such as engineering, sports, and transportation. For example, they are used to design car airbags, calculate the trajectory of a baseball, and analyze the impact of a rocket launch.

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