Try it on paper first. A hint, the key idea and the worked solution are here when you need them.
A bullet moving at goes into a block of wood and stops.
Kinetic energy is . The work-energy theorem: the net work done on a body equals its change in kinetic energy, .
Have you tried it?
Work it out on paper first. It is fine to get stuck or make a mistake: that is how we learn. When you are ready, go through the solution one step at a time, and check each step against your own.
Given. , , stopping distance .
Plan. Work-energy theorem, twice.
Step 1. Kinetic energy. .
Step 2. Force. , about .
Step 3. The thin plank. It takes , leaving .
Step 4. Speed out. .
Answer: (a) About . (b) About .
Check. The plank takes less than half the depth, so less than half the energy, and the bullet keeps most of its speed. Good.
Watch out. The speed does not fall in proportion to the thickness. It is the energy that the wood removes steadily, metre by metre.
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