Question

Two cars are moving. The first car has twice the mass of the second car but only half as much kinetic energy. When both cars increase their speed by 2.76 m/s, they then have the same kinetic energy. Calculate the original speeds of the two cars.

Answer 1

Let m be the mass of the second car, so the first car's mass is 2m.

Let K be the kinetic energy of the second car, so the first car's kinetic energy would be K/2.

Let u and v be the speeds of the first car and the second car, respectively. At the start,

• the first car has kinetic energy

K/2 = 1/2 (2m) u ² = mu ² ==> K = 2mu ²

• the second car starts with kinetic energy

K = 1/2 mv ²

It follows that

2mu ² = 1/2 mv ²

==> 4u ² = v ²

When their speeds are both increased by 2.76 m/s,

• the first car now has kinetic energy

1/2 (2m) (u + 2.76 m/s)² = m (u + 2.76 m/s)²

• the second car now has kinetic energy

1/2 m (v + 2.76 m/s)²

These two kinetic energies are equal, so

m (u + 2.76 m/s)² = 1/2 m (v + 2.76 m/s)²

==> 2 (u + 2.76 m/s)² = (v + 2.76 m/s)²

Solving the equations in bold gives u ≈ 1.95 m/s and v ≈ 3.90 m/s.