Question

Two identical gliders on an air track are held together by a piece of string, compressing a spring between the gliders. While they are moving to the right at a common speed of 0.325 m/s, someone holds a match under the string and burns it, letting the spring force the gliders apart. One glider is then observed to be moving to the right at 1.33 m/s. What velocity does the other glider have

Answer 1

Step-by-step explanation:

Both the gliders have same mass and same speed of .325 m /s .

The detachment of spring will create equal and opposite force on both of them , one force adding momentum to one and the other force reducing the momentum of the other . Since mass of both the gliders are same , change in velocity too will be same . Let change in velocity be v .

for forward moving glider

.325 + v = 1.33

v = 1.005 m /s

The other glider will have final velocity

= .325 - 1.005

= - .68 m /s

So other glider will go in opposite direction with velocity of .68 m /s .