Ballistic pendulum Definition and 68 Threads

A ballistic pendulum is a device for measuring a bullet's momentum, 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.
Although the ballistic pendulum is considered obsolete, it remained in use for a significant length of time and led to great advances in the science of ballistics. The ballistic pendulum is still found in physics classrooms today, because of its simplicity and usefulness in demonstrating properties of momentum and energy. Unlike other methods of measuring the speed of a bullet, the basic calculations for a ballistic pendulum do not require any measurement of time, but rely only on measures of mass and distance.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. For example, a ballistic pendulum was used by physicist C. V. Boys to measure the elasticity of golf balls, and by physicist Peter Guthrie Tait to measure the effect that spin had on the distance a golf ball traveled.

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  1. S

    Ballistic Pendulum Experiment: Determining Muzzle Velocity and Projected Height

    Calculate the most reasonable muzzle velocity of the ball bearing given: Mass of Bearing = .033kg Mass of the Combination = .064kg Length of Pendulum = .235m Theta = 24 degrees I was able to solve that and get Vmuzzle = 1.247 m/s^2 The second part of the question is what I'm having...
  2. A

    Solved: Ballistic Pendulum Velocity Calculation

    [SOLVED] A Ballistic Pendulum Homework Statement A bullet of mass 0.01 kg moving horizontally strikes a block of wood of mass 1.5 kg which is suspended as a pendulum. The bullet lodges in the wood, and together they swing upward a distance of 0.40 m. What was the velocity of the bullet just...
  3. H

    Ballistic pendulum problem ( please)

    Homework Statement A 8.15- g bullet from a 9-mm pistol has a velocity of 371.0 m/s. It strikes the 0.785- kg block of a ballistic pendulum and passes completely through the block. If the block rises through a distance h = 8.74 cm, what was the velocity of the bullet as it emerged from the...
  4. K

    Ballistic Pendulum displacement

    The Question In a ballistic pendulum an object of mass m is fired with an initial speed v_0 at a pendulum bob. The bob has a mass M, which is suspended by a rod of length L and negligible mass. After the collision, the pendulum and object stick together and swing to a maximum angular...
  5. J

    Ballistic pendulum and initial speed

    In a ballistic pendulum an object of mass m is fired with an initial speed v_0 at a pendulum bob. The bob has a mass M, which is suspended by a rod of length L and negligible mass. After the collision, the pendulum and object stick together and swing to a maximum angular displacement theta as...
  6. G

    Exploring Thermal Energy Conversion in a Ballistic Pendulum

    a) A 15g bullet is fired at 840m/s into a ballistic pendulum consisting of 24 kg bag of sand. |\ | \ | \ { } | { == } | { } 15 g...
  7. L

    The ballistic pendulum and friction.

    in the ballistic pendulum. if the pendulum exerts a frictional force on the ball as the ball is brought to rest relative to the pendulum during the collision, what effect would this friction have on my results? thanks. p.s. drink up.
  8. L

    What Happens to the Missing Energy in an Inelastic Collision?

    i did a lab, the ballistic pendulum, and need help with one of the questions in the lab. here it is: The initial kinetic energy of the projectile is (mv^2/2). The final potential energy of the system is (M+m)gh. However these two values are not equal in this experiment. Explain what happened...
  9. J

    Ballistic Pendulum and Projectile Motion

    Homework Statement The question involves a bullet weighing 0.04 kg and traveling at 360 m/s being fired at a pendulum ball (weighing 1.0 kg) with which it becomes lodged and the string (which is 2 m long) thereafter breaks at 45 degrees to the ground. The ball then acts with projectile...
  10. N

    Answer: Ballistic Pendulum: Bullet Collision & Max Height

    A rifle bullet of mass m = 2.5 g traveling at vb = 243 m/s collides with and embeds itself in a pendulum of mass M = 237.5 g, initially at rest and suspended vertically with massless strings of length L = 2 m. --- i first converted the masses into kilograms. i found out that net momentum =...
  11. F

    Ballistic Pendulum Lab: Solving for Cart Speed

    Hi all We are doing a physics lab where we lift a pendulum to a certain height, let go of it, and the pendulum strikes a physics cart on a track. A lightgate then measures the velocity of the cart. We need to figure out the speed of the cart given the distance the pendulum is raised by...
  12. L

    Ballistic Pendulum: Calculate Vf & Height

    a 4.00g bullet moving at 380m/s embeds itself in a wood block of mass 2996g suspended as a ballistic pendulum find: (a)the initial velocity of the block after the impact, and (b) how high the block rises. I did it this way can someone tell me if i did it right (a)m(1)v(1i) + m(2)v(2i) =...
  13. L

    Ballistic Pendulum Problem: Solving for Bullet and Block Speeds

    How do I go about solving this problem? No diagram is given, so it's a little hard-to-picture in my head, so I drew a basic diagram but it hasn't really helped. I use a ballistic pendulum. Large block of wood has a mass M2 = 3.000 kg, and the bullet has a mass of m1 = 25 g. In this problem...
  14. P

    How Is the Swing Angle Determined in a Ballistic Pendulum Problem?

    A bullet (m = 0.0270 kg) is fired with a speed of 99.00 m/s and hits a block (M = 2.60 kg) supported by two light strings as shown, stopping quickly. Find the height to which the block rises. I found this by conservation of energy, the answer was .0528 m Find the angle (in degrees) through...
  15. C

    Was Momentum Conservation Used Correctly in Calculating Bullet Velocity?

    At one time, the velocity of a rifle bullet was measured using a ballistic pendulum made up of a wooden block suspended from a string. The block has a mass of 20kg. A 50g rifle bullet is fired into the block, penetrating it by 10cm and causing it to swing upwards, increasing the height by...
  16. F

    Calculating Horizontal Displacement of Ballistic Pendulum

    A 16 g rifle bullet traveling 170 m/s buries itself in a 3.2 kg pendulum hanging on a 2.5 m long string, which makes the pendulum swing upward in an arc. Determine the horizontal component of the pendulum's displacement. I'm having trouble starting this problem. I know it's inelastic because...
  17. U

    How Do You Calculate Initial Velocity in a Ballistic Pendulum Problem?

    A steel marble is shot out of a launcher (straight) in a "catcher" on a ballistic pendulum. The pendulum then swings up into its max height ans stops. At that point...the height for the gPE is .163 m. The mass of the marble is .0558g. I need to find the inital velocity of the marble. I...
  18. F

    Ballistic Pendulum Homework Problem

    I'm having trouble with this physics question: A 20kg sphere is hanging from a hook by a thin wire 3.50m long, and can swing in a complete circle. It is struck horizontally by a 5kg steel dart that embeds itself in the sphere. What is the minimum speed of the dart such that on contact it...
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