A car with a mass of 980 kg is initially travelling east toward an intersection

Question

A car with a mass of 980 kg is initially travelling east toward an intersection with a speed of vc = 20.4 m/s and a 1500 kgpickup truck is travelling north toward the same intersection. The car and truck collide at the intersection and stick together. After the collision, the wreckage (car and truck) moves off in a direction of 45.0° above the x axis. Determine the initial speed of the truck and the final speed of the wreckage.

Explanation / Answer

vc=20.4 i
vt = speed of truck
vw = speed of wreckage

now
use momentum conservation
980*20.4i+1500*vt j = (980+1500)*vw*(cos(45)i+sin(45)j)
980*20.4=2480*vw*cos(45)------------------------------------1
1500*vt=2480*vw*sin(45)---------------------------------------2
solve 1 and 2
vw=11.40 m/s
vt=13.328 m/s

initial speed of the truck = 13.328

final speed of the wreckage = 11.40

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