Question

A car of mass 2200 kg collides with a truck of mass 4500 kg, and just after the collision the car and truck slide along, stuck together, with no rotation. The car's velocity just before the collision was <33, 0, 0> m/s, and the truck's velocity just before the collision was <-18, 0, 22> m/s. (a) Your first task is to determine the velocity of the stuck-together car and truck just after the collision. What system and principle should you use

Answer 1

37.7m/s: principle of conservation of momentum

Step-by-step explanation:

The principle to make use of is the principle of conservation of momentum which States that the sum of momentum of bodies before collision is equal to the sum of momentum of bodies after collision. This bodies will move with the same velocity after collision.

Momentum = Mass × velocity

For car of mass 2200kg moving with velocity 33m/s:

Momentum of car before collision = 2200×33

= 72,600kgm/s

For the truck of mass 4500kg;

Momentum = 4500 ×(22-(-18)

= 4500×40

= 180000kgm/s

After collision, their momentum is:

Momentum after collision = (2200+4500)v

= 6700v

Using the principle above to get the common velocity v we have

72600+180000 = 6700v

252600 = 6700v

v = 252600/6700

v = 37.7m/s