Question

1. little ms. vida fires a paintball with mass 0.3 kg at 90 m/s. she recoils backward at 0.75 m/s. what is the mass of little ms. vida?

Explanation:

Step1: State conservation of momentum

Initial total momentum = Final total momentum, so $0 = m_1v_1 + m_2v_2$

Step2: Rearrange for Ms. Vida's mass

Isolate $m_2$: $m_2 = -\frac{m_1v_1}{v_2}$

Step3: Substitute given values

$m_1=0.3\ \text{kg}$, $v_1=90\ \text{m/s}$, $v_2=-0.75\ \text{m/s}$
$m_2 = -\frac{0.3 \times 90}{-0.75}$

Step4: Calculate the result

$m_2 = \frac{27}{0.75} = 36$

Answer:

36 kg