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bobbles22
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Homework Statement
A bullet (mass m, velocity v) is fired into a suspended wooden block (mass M) which then rises up to height h with the bullet embedded within it. Find, in terms of m, M and H, the proportion of the initial kinetic energy of the bullet that is transferred to mechanical energy of the pendulum. What happened to the rest of the energy.
Homework Equations
Kinetic energy = 0.5mv2
Gravitiational potential energy = mgh
The Attempt at a Solution
Obviously, the initial kinetic energy is 0.5mv2. I've worked out v from a previous part of the question to be v=(2gh)0.5(1+M/m). But I'm stumped as to how to find the proportion of the energy that is transferred as mechanical energy to the block. Obviously, the difference of energies before and after the impact are due to loss of energy during the impact to thermal and sound energy.