This is very similar to HW#8 problem #7, and we did something similar in class. This kind of problem actually shows up pretty often, mostly because it has both conservation of energy (the pendulum swinging up to a maximum height) and conservation of momentum (the bullet colliding with and embedding in the pendulum bob). Both of those topics are huge in physics.
Work backwards. Using conservation of energy, and knowing how high the pendulum swings, you can figure out the initial speed of the pendulum-and-bullet (down at the bottom of the pendulum's swing). Then use conservation of momentum to figure out the initial speed of the bullet before it hits the pendulum.
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This is very similar to HW#8 problem #7, and we did something similar in class. This kind of problem actually shows up pretty often, mostly because it has both conservation of energy (the pendulum swinging up to a maximum height) and conservation of momentum (the bullet colliding with and embedding in the pendulum bob). Both of those topics are huge in physics.
Work backwards. Using conservation of energy, and knowing how high the pendulum swings, you can figure out the initial speed of the pendulum-and-bullet (down at the bottom of the pendulum's swing). Then use conservation of momentum to figure out the initial speed of the bullet before it hits the pendulum.
Good luck.
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