Question

A 2000-kg car moving with a speed of 20 m/s collides with and sticks to a 1500-kg car at rest at a stop sign. Show that because momentum is conserved in the rest frame, momentum is also conserved in a reference frame moving with a speed of 10 m/s in the direction of the moving car.

Answer 1

13.33m/s

Step-by-step explanation:

Given data

m1= 2000kg

u1= 20m/s

m2= 1500kg

u2= 0m/s

v1= 10m/s

Required

The speed of the sticks

We know that from the expression for the conservation of momentum

m1u1+m2u2= m1v1+m2v2

2000*20+1500*0=2000*10+1500*v2

40000=20000+1500v2

collect like terms

40000-20000= 1500v2

20000= 1500v2

v2= 20000/1500

v2= 13.33 m/s

Hence the velocity of the sticks is 13.33m/s