Question

Two blocks are initially at rest with a compressed spring between them. When the spring is released, the 2m block moves to the left and the m block moves to the right. This represents an inelastic collision in a closed system. What best describes the blocks after the spring is released? The total energy is zero. The total momentum is zero. The momentum of the m block is zero. The momentum of the 2m block is zero.

Answer 1

The answer is B. on edgen.

Step-by-step explanation:

B. The total momentum is zero.

Answer 2

In an inelastic collision the kinetic energy is not conserved, but the total momentum of the system is conserved.

In other words; the Initial momentum
`P_(i)` is equal to the Final Momentum
`P_(f)`:

`P_(i)=P_(f)`

Then:

`P_(i)-P_(f)=0`

This means that after the collision the kinetic energy is transformed (dissipated) into another type of energy (caloric energy, for example); and there may be deformation in the blocks.

Therefore, the sentence that best describes this situation is:

The total momentum is zero.