Question

A clay ball with a mass of 0.50 kg is traveling at 5.7 m/s to the right and hits another clay ball that has a mass of 0.50 kg which is at rest. The two clay balls stick together and move as one. What is the velocity of the two balls?

Answer 1

2.9 m/s to the right

Step-by-step explanation:

Momentum before = momentum after

m₁ u₁ + m₂ u₂ = (m₁ + m₂) v

(0.50 kg) (5.7 m/s) + (0.50 kg) (0 m/s) = (0.50 kg + 0.50 kg) v

v = 2.85 m/s

Rounded to two significant figures, the velocity is 2.9 m/s to the right.