Question

A cart of mass 5 kg is traveling to the right (which we will take to be the positive x-direction for this problem) at a speed of 9.2 m/s. it collides with a stationary cart that is three times as massive. after the collision, the more massive cart is moving at a speed of 1.1 m/s, to the right.

How much momentum, in the x-direction, was transferred to the more massive cart, in kilogram meters per second?

Answer 1

The more massive cart received a momentum transfer of 16.5 kg·m/s in the x-direction during the collision.

To find the amount of momentum transferred to the more massive cart, we need to consider the conservation of momentum. According to this principle, the total momentum before the collision is equal to the total momentum after the collision.

1. Calculate the momentum of the first cart before the collision:

momentum = mass * velocity

momentum = 5 kg * 9.2 m/s = 46 kg·m/s

2. Calculate the momentum of the second cart after the collision:

momentum = mass * velocity

momentum = (3 * 5 kg) * 1.1 m/s = 16.5 kg·m/s

3. Find the momentum transferred:

momentum transferred = final momentum of second cart - initial momentum of second cart

momentum transferred = 16.5 kg·m/s - 0 kg·m/s (since the second cart was initially stationary)

momentum transferred = 16.5 kg·m/s

Therefore, the amount of momentum transferred to the more massive cart is 16.5 kilogram meters per second (kg·m/s) in the x-direction.