Question

A 900-kg car traveling east at 15.0 m/s collides with a 750-kg car traveling north at 20.0 m/s. The cars stick together. What is the speed of the wreckage just after the collision?

Answer 1

12.2 m/s

Step-by-step explanation:

Initial momentum = final momentum

In the x direction:

(900 kg) (15.0 m/s) = (900 kg + 750 kg) vx

vx = 8.18 m/s

In the y direction:

(750 kg) (20.0 m/s) = (900 kg + 750 kg) vy

vy = 9.09

The magnitude of the velocity is therefore:

v = √(vx² + vy²)

v = 12.2 m/s