An explosion can be analyzed with the same physics that you use to analyze an inelastic collision. a wooden block is cut into two pieces; one is 3 times heavier than the other. a depression is made in bothpieces; a firecracker is inserted in the depression and the block is reassembled. the reassembled block is placedon a rough surface and the fuse on the firecracker is lit. when the firecracker explodes, the two pieces of theblock slide apart. what is theratioof the distances traveled by each block?

  d₁ / d₃ =  3

Explanation:

Let's analyze the problem using the moment, the system is formed by the two blocks, so that the forces during internal rupture, the amount of movement is conserved.

Before the break

     p₀ = 0

After the break

     pf = 3m v₃ + m v₁

    p₀ = pf

     0 = 3m v₃ + m v₁

     v₁ / v₃ = - 3

After the explosion the blocks go at constant speed, so we use the equations of uniform motion

we can place the origin where the explosion occurs, we can see that one of the positions has slide coordinates (moves to the right) and the other has negative positions (moves to the left) whereby d1 = - | d1 |

      v = d / t

      v₁ = -d₁ / t

     v₃ = d₃ / t

     v₁ / v₃ = -d₁ / d₃ = 3

     d₁ / d₃ =  3