Question

A shell of mass 10 kg is fired from a gun of mass 500 kg. The gun recoils with a velocity of 5m/s. Find the muzzle velocity of the shell.

Answer 1

Given,
Mass of gun=500 kg
Mass of shell=10 kg
Recoil velocity of gun=5 m/s
Muzzle velocity of the shell=?
Using the principle of conservation of momentum,
(500+10) x 0=(10 x v) + (500 x 5)
0=10 v +2500
v=-250 m/s
i.e the muzzle velocity is 250 m/s and it is in the opposite direction of recoil velocity of gun.