Question

A projectile breaks into 3 equal pieces at the top. One drops straight down, one moves left at speed v. What’s the horizontal speed of the third piece?

Options

• v to the right

• 2v to the right

• 3v to the right

• \[\frac {v}{2}\] to the right

Answer 1

2v to the right

Explanation:

To keep total momentum the same, the third fragment must move right with speed 2v, since one piece has no horizontal speed and the other moves left with speed v.