As shown in the figure below, cars #1 and #2 are sliding across a horizontal fri

Question

As shown in the figure below, cars #1 and #2 are sliding across a horizontal frictionless surface. The cars are equipped with a coupling arrangement similar to the one on railroad cars. Car #1 overtakes car #2 and they have a totally inelastic collision and become coupled together. You know the mass of each car; m1 = 10.0 kg and m2 = 48.0 kg. In addition, you are provided with the following graph, which shows the momentum of car #1 before, during and after the collision. Determine the velocity of car #2 before the collision.

(answer should be in m/s)

As shown in the figure below, cars #1 and #2 are sliding across a horizontal frictionless surface. The cars are equipped with a coupling arrangement similar to the one on railroad cars. Car #1 overtakes car #2 and they have a totally inelastic collision and become coupled together. You know the mass of each car; m1 = 10.0 kg and m2 = 48.0 kg. In addition, you are provided with the following graph, which shows the momentum of car #1 before, during and after the collision. Determine the velocity of car #2 before the collision.

Explanation / Answer

before collision , momnetum = 100 = m1v1i

v1i = 100/10 = 10 m/s

after collision momentum = 40 = m1v1f

v1f   =40/10 = 4 m/s

by momentum conservation of system ,

10 x 10 + 48 x v    = (10 +48) x 4

v =2.75 m/s

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