Cumulatively, I have dedicated more than 10 hours attempting to reach a solution to this problem. I really need some help! Please try to show and explain all of the steps you took to arrive at the solution so that I may learn how to replicate those steps if a similar problem ever resurfaces.

A 10.0 kg (0.01 kg) bullet is fired into a 500.0 g (0.50 kg) block that is initially at rest at the edge of a table of height 1.00 m. The bullet remains in the block and after the impact, the block lands 2.00 m from the bottom of the table. Determine the initial speed of the bullet.

Question

Cumulatively, I have dedicated more than 10 hours attempting to reach a solution to this problem.  I really need some help!  Please try to show and explain all of the steps you took to arrive at the solution so that I may learn how to replicate those steps if a similar problem ever resurfaces.  

A 10.0 kg (0.01 kg) bullet is fired into a 500.0 g (0.50 kg) block that is initially at rest at the edge of a table of height 1.00 m.  The bullet remains in the block and after the impact, the block lands 2.00 m from the bottom of the table.  Determine the initial speed of the bullet.

anonymous · Answer

There is a typo in your problem, I think you mean the bullet has a mass of 10 grammes, not 10 kg.

irishboy123 · Answer

1 calc how long it takes any mass to drop 1m

2. Calc the velocity you need to travel 2m horizontally in that time.

That is the combined horizon velocity of bullet AND block

3. Do conservation momentum: mass bullet * bullet velocity = (combined mass bullet us block) * velocity from 2 above.

Hey presto.

anonymous · Answer

I agree with Irishboy, that's the way to do it.
I have the numerical answer if you want to check your working.

anonymous · Answer

is it 224.4 m/s