Question

A 2.0-kg cart is rolling along a frictionless, horizontal track towards a 1.8-kg cart that is held initially at rest. The carts are loaded with strong magnets that cause them to attract one another. Thus, the speed of each cart increases. At a certain instant before the carts collide, the first cart's velocity is 5.9 m/s, and the second cart's velocity is -2.7 m/s. (a) What is the total momentum of the system of the two carts at this instant

Answer 1

the total momentum of the system before collision is 6.94 kgm/s

Step-by-step explanation:

Given;

mass of the first cart, m₁ = 2.0 kg

mass of the second cart, m₂ = 1.8 kg

velocity of the first cart before collision, u₁ = 5.9 m/s

velocity of the second cart before collision, u₂ = -2.7 m/s

The total momentum of the system before collision is calculated as follows;

`P_t = P_1 + P_2 \\\\P_t = m_1u_1 + m_2u_2\\\\P_t = (2* 5.9) + (1.8 * -2.7)\\\\P_t = 11.8 - 4.86\\\\P_t = 6.94 \ kgm/s`

Therefore, the total momentum of the system before collision is 6.94 kgm/s