Question

A 500 kg car travels 280 m/s due north. It hits a 500 kg car traveling due west at 30 m/s. The cars lock bumpers and stick together. What is the velocity the instant after impact?

Answer 1

When two cars collide and stick together, the law of conservation of momentum can be used to find the final velocity of the cars. The velocity is determined by the masses and initial velocities of the cars. In this case, the final velocity is 155 m/s due north.

Step-by-step explanation:

When two cars collide and stick together, the law of conservation of momentum can be used to find the final velocity of the cars. In this case, one car is traveling due north and the other is traveling due west.

The total momentum before the collision is the sum of the momenta of the individual cars. The momentum in the north direction is m1v1, and the momentum in the west direction is m2v2.

After the collision, the total momentum is the sum of the masses of the cars multiplied by their final velocity.

Since the cars stick together, the final velocity is the same for both cars.

To find the final velocity, we can use the formula:

Vf = (m1v1 + m2v2) / (m1 + m2)

Substituting the given values:

Vf = (500 kg * 280 m/s + 500 kg * 30 m/s) / (500 kg + 500 kg)

Vf = (140000 kg*m/s + 15000 kg*m/s) / 1000 kg

Vf = 155000 kg*m/s / 1000 kg

Vf = 155 m/s

So, the velocity of the cars after the collision is 155 m/s due north.