Question

A 1 kg cart moving at 5 m/s collides and sticks to a 2 kg cart at rest. What is the velocity of the carts after the collision? (Round to one decimal and include units)

A) 3.3 m/s
B) 4.5 m/s
C) 5.0 m/s
D) 6.7 m/s

Answer 1

After the 1 kg cart moving at 5 m/s collides with the 2 kg cart at rest, the velocity of the carts post-collision, calculated using conservation of momentum, is approximately 1.7 m/s (rounded to one decimal).

Step-by-step explanation:

The question provided is concerned with a physics concept known as the conservation of momentum during an inelastic collision. When the 1 kg cart moving at 5 m/s collides with and sticks to the 2 kg cart that is at rest, we use the principle that the total momentum before the collision is equal to the total momentum after the collision. Since the second cart is at rest, its initial momentum is 0. The combined momentum of the carts before the collision is (1 kg × 5 m/s) + (2 kg × 0 m/s) = 5 kg·m/s. To find the velocity v of the joined carts after the collision, we solve the equation: (total mass) × (velocity after) = (total momentum before), which is (1 kg + 2 kg) × v = 5 kg·m/s, resulting in v = 5 kg·m/s / 3 kg. Hence, v equals approximately 1.7 m/s, so the correct rounded answer is A) 1.7 m/s.