Two cars collide at an intersection. Car A, with a mass of 1900 kg, is going fro

Question

Two cars collide at an intersection. Car A, with a mass of 1900 kg, is going from west to east, while car B, of mass 1500 kg, is going from north to south at 17.0 ms. As a result of this collision, the two cars become enmeshed and move as one afterwards. In your role as an expert witness, you inspect the scene and determine that, after the collision, the enmeshed cars moved at an angle of 60.0degrees south of east from the point of impact.

Part A WAS: How fast were the enmeshed cars moving just after the collision? I got 8.66 for velocity in part a which was CORRECT but i can't figure out PART B??...

Part B:How fast was car A going just before the collision

Explanation / Answer

(west to east is taken as +ve x=axis and north to south as +ve y-axis.)
Car A's velocity = (Va)i m/s
Car B's velocity = -17j m/s
after collision enmeshed car goes with speed v at angle of 60 degrees from east in south east quarter.
v = vcos60 i - vsin60j
by momentum conservation ,
1900 X (Va)i - 17 X 1500 = (1900+1500) X (vcos60i - vsin60j)
so 3400vsin60 = 17 X 1500
v = 8.66 m/s ..........AnsPart(A)

and 1900Va = 3400 X vcos60
Va = 3400 x 8.66/ (2X1900)
Va= 7.75 m/s ...........Ans Part(B)

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