Question
The Vacuum bazooka consists of a 1.2 m length of PVC tube modified to have an attachment on the side for connection to a vacuum
The Vacuum bazooka consists of a 1.2 m length of PVC tube modified to have an attachment on the side for connection to a vacuum pump, as shown below. A ping-pong ball (radius = 2 cm, mass = 2.7 g), is inserted into the tube and both ends of the tube are sealed with 'Scotch tape'. The tube is evacuated using the pump. The near end of the tube is then pieced with scissors and the ping pong ball is propelled along the tube and exits the other end with sufficient velocity to pierce the cardboard box placed 1 m from the far end of the tube. Assume an air pressure of 101325 N/m2 1)Estimate the force on the ping pong ball at the moment that the 'Scotch' tape is pierced. 2)Estimate the velocity of the ping pong ball as it exits the far side of the tube 3)Estimate the kinetic energy of the ping pong ball as it exits the tube. State any assumptions that you make 4)Sketch the expected velocity of the ping pong ball as a function of the length of the tube. Does your plot predict that the velocity of the ping pong ball should increase without limit as the length of the tube increases? Are there limitations on the velocity of the ping pong ball in the vacuum bazooka?
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