A stationary mass sudddenly explodes into two fragments, one heavy and another light. Which one has greater kinetic energy and why?

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Answer 1 · 2018-03-11T14:24:24

See below.

Conservation of linear momentum

#0 = m_1v_1+m_2 v_2#

Kinetic energies

#E_1=1/2m_1 v_1^2#

#E_2=1/2m_2 v_2^2#

but

#v_2 = -m_1/m_2 v_1# then

#E_2 = 1/2m_2(m_1/m_2)^2v_1^2 = m_1/m_2 E_1#

then we conclude

If #m_1 > m_2 rArr E_2 > E_1#

and vice-versa.