Final answer:
The bullet would emerge from the wood with the same initial velocity of 250 m/s.
Step-by-step explanation:
To determine the velocity with which the bullet would emerge from a similar piece of wood 20 cm thick, we can use the conservation of energy principle. Since the resistance is uniform in both cases, the work done by the bullet to penetrate the wood is equal to the work done by the wood to slow down and stop the bullet.
The work done by the bullet to penetrate the wood can be calculated as:
Work = force x distance
The velocity at which the bullet emerges from the wood can be determined using the equation:
Work = force x distance = 0.5 x mass x velocity^2
Simplifying the equation, we get:
velocity = sqrt(2 x Work / mass)
Substituting the known values, we have:
velocity = sqrt(2 x (0.5 x mass x initial_velocity^2) / mass)
Therefore, the bullet would emerge from the wood with the same initial velocity of 250 m/s.