Question

A 1,540 kg car driving at 30.0 m/s smashes into the back of a 2,300 kg truck driving at 10.3 m/s. how fast do the two vehicles move after the collision if they stick together?

Answer 1

To calculate the final velocity of the two vehicles after the collision, use the law of conservation of momentum and divide their final momentum by their combined mass.

Step-by-step explanation:

When two objects collide and stick together, the law of conservation of momentum can be applied to find their final velocity. According to this law, the total momentum before the collision is equal to the total momentum after the collision.

Using the law of conservation of momentum, we can calculate the final velocity of the combined wreckage. The initial momentum of the car is given by the product of its mass (1540 kg) and its velocity (30.0 m/s). The initial momentum of the truck is the product of its mass (2300 kg) and its velocity (10.3 m/s). Since the two vehicles stick together after the collision, the final momentum is equal to the sum of their initial momenta.

Therefore, the final velocity of the combined wreckage can be calculated by dividing their final momentum by their combined mass (1540 kg + 2300 kg = 3840 kg).