Question

You hold glider A of mass 0.125 kg and glider B of mass 0.375 kg at rest on an air track with a compressed spring of negligible mass between them. When you release the gliders, the spring pushes them apart. Once the gliders are no longer in contact with the spring, glider A is moving to the right at 0.600 m/s. What is the velocity (magnitude and direction) of glider B at this time?

Answer 1

0.2 m/s

Step-by-step explanation:

`m_A` = Mass of glider A= 0.125 kg

`m_B` = Mass of glider B = 0.375 kg

`u_A` = Initial Velocity of glider A = 0 m/s

`u_B` = Initial Velocity of glider B = 0 m/s

`v_A` = Final Velocity of glider A = 0.6 m/s

`v_B` = Final Velocity of glider B

As linear momentum is conserved

`m_(A)u_(A)+m_(B)u_(B)=m_(A)v_(A)+m_(B)v_(B)\\\Rightarrow v_B=(m_(A)u_(A)+m_(B)u_(B)-m_(A)v_(A))/(m_(B))\\\Rightarrow v_b=(0+0-0.125* 0.6)/(0.375)\\\Rightarrow v_b=-0.2\ m/s`

Magnitude of the glider B at this time is 0.2 m/s