Question

Car A with a mass of 725 kilograms is traveling east at an initial velocity of 15 meters/second. It collides head–on with car B, which has a mass of 625 kilograms and is traveling west at an initial velocity of 17 meters/second. Find the total momentum of the system after collision.

Answer 1

east

Step-by-step explanation:

Answer 2

`p_t_o_t_a_l=250kg(m)/(s)`

Step-by-step explanation:

The total momentum of a system is defined by:

`(mv)_t_o_t=m_1v_1+m_2v_2+...`

Where,

`(mv)_t_o_t` is the total momentum or it could be expressed also as
`p_t_o_t_a_l`.

`m_1` and
`m_2` represents the masses of the objects interacting in the system.

`v_1` and
`v_2` are the velocities of the objects of the system.

Remember: The momentum is a fundamental physical magnitude of vector type.

We have:

`m_1=725 kg`

`v_1=15(m)/(s)\\m_2=625 kg`

We are going to take the east side as positive, and the west side as negative. Then the velocity of the car B, has to be negative. It goes in a different direction from car A.

`v_2=-17(m)/(s)`

Then the total momentum of the system is:

`p_t_o_t_a_l=m_1v_1+m_2v_2\\p_t_o_t_a_l=(725kg)(15(m)/(s))+(625kg)(-17(m)/(s))\\p_t_o_t_a_l=10875kg(m)/(s)-10625kg(m)/(s)\\p_t_o_t_a_l=250kg(m)/(s)`