Question

A car of mass 1400 kg moving south at 11 ms-1 collides itno another car of mass 1800 kg moving east at 30 ms-1 the cars are stuck together after the collision determine the velocity of the cars immediately after the collision

Answer 1

Mass1=1400kg V1=11m/s p1=m1v1 =1400×11 = 15400kg m/s M2=1800kg V2=30m/s p2= m2v2 =54000 kg m/s Total momentum before collision = p1 + p2 = 69400 kg m/s Total momentum before collision=total momentum after collision (by law of conservation of momentum) Momentum after collision = 69400 kg m/s Total mass = 3200kg (m1+m2) Let velocity of the cars after collision be x ATQ, 3200*x = 69400 (p=mv) x= 69400/3200 x=21.69 Hence velocity after collision - 21.69m/s