A water-balloon launcher with mass 4 kg fires a 0.5 kg balloon with a velocity of 3 m/s to the east. What is the recoil velocity of the launcher?
A.0.33 m/s west
B.0.38 m/s west
C.3.0 m/s east
D.3.0 m/s west

Question

A water-balloon launcher with mass 4 kg fires a 0.5 kg balloon with a velocity of 3 m/s to the east. What is the recoil velocity of the launcher?
A.0.33 m/s west 
B.0.38 m/s west 
C.3.0 m/s east 
D.3.0 m/s west

fifciol · Answer

aplly the conservation of momentum

anonymous · Answer

I don't know what you mean... :( this is too confusing...

anonymous · Answer

Think about the total momentum of the system before the balloon is launched. The total momentum of the system must be conserved, so after the balloon is launched it will be the same. Since the balloon has some momentum to the east, what does that tell you about the launcher?