PhysicsLAB Amusing Problems
The Snowball Fight

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School is dismissed for a week due to snow, but Dr. J and several of his students brave the bad weather to work on a group project. The project deals with heat loss and energy conservation. (Dr. J had earlier gained fame by inventing a machine to dye material different colors in cold water-a sort of low-calorie dye-it.) In roamin' the halls, the students notice radiators that are turned on unnecessarily. They turn these off and cover them with Glad bags (they are now modern-day gladiators). Upon leaving for the day, they are met by a barrage of snowballs thrown by members of SAP. A gigantic snowball fight ensues. This all-out battle lasts several hours. Dr. J and his students then notice that the snowballs coming from SAP contain broken pieces of black plastic. They assemble these pieces, and realize that they are parts of broken Hank Snow albums. SAP claims that this is fair because it has been a record-breaking snowstorm. However, Dr. J does not agree. Enough is enough!! His temper overcomes him, and he throws a snowball so hard that it completely melts when it hits the wall above the SAPS! The SAPS are so in awe that they surrender.
 
If the temperature of the snowball is 0º C, and assuming that 50% of the energy of the throw is converted to heat absorbed by the snowball, at what speed does the snowball hit the wall?

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