Question

Two carts mounted on an air track are moving toward one another. Cart 1 has a speed of 2.20 m/s and a mass of 0.440 kg. Cart 2 has a mass of 0.740 kg. (a) If the total momentum of the system is to be zero, what is the initial speed of cart 2

Answer 1

`v_2=-1.308\ m/s`

Step-by-step explanation:

It is given that,

Mass of cart 1,
`m_1=0.44\ kg`

Mass of cart 2,
`m_2=0.74\ kg`

Speed of cart 1,
`v_1=2.2\ m/s`

If the total momentum of the system is zero, the initial momentum is equal to the final momentum as :

`m_1v_1=m_2v_2`

Let
`v_2` is the initial speed of cart 2

`0.44* 2.2=0.74v_2`

`v_2=-1.308\ m/s`

Initial speed of the cart 2 is 1.308 m/s and it is moving in opposite direction of the cart 1.