A bullet hits and gets embedded in a solid block of wood resting on a horizontal frictionless table. What is conserved?

Question

A bullet hits and gets embedded in a solid block of wood resting on a horizontal frictionless table. What is conserved? (A) Momentum and kinetic energy (B) Momentum only (C) Kinetic energy only (D) Neither momentum nor kinetic energy

Tardigrade Admin · Accepted Answer

Since bullet comes to rest with respect to the solid block, the collision is inelastic in nature. Therefore the only momentum is conserved and kinetic energy is not conserved.

Q. A bullet hits and gets embedded in a solid block of wood resting on a horizontal frictionless table. What is conserved?

Momentum and kinetic energy

Momentum only

Kinetic energy only

Neither momentum nor kinetic energy

Since bullet comes to rest with respect to the solid block, the collision is inelastic in nature. Therefore the only momentum is conserved and kinetic energy is not conserved.