In: Physics
A circus act involves launching a human being from a cannon resting on the floor. The human has a 50 kg mass and is launched at a speed of 12 m/s, in a direction 30° up from the horizontal. The cannon has a mass of 110 kg. (a) Considering the system as cannon + human, state why the x-component of the momentum is conserved. (b) Find the recoil speed of the cannon. (c) It would be dangerous to use explosives, so the performer is actually launched from a loaded spring inside the barrel, compressed 1.7 m from its equilibrium position. Find the spring constant needed to achieve the launch + recoil. (d) You will note that the y-component of the net momentum is NOT conserved, since the performer flies up in the air. Why is the x-component conserved but the y-component not?