Question

The high-speed police chase ends at an intersection as a 2,150-kg Ford Explorer (driven by Robin) traveling south at 35 m/s collides with a 18,250-kg garbage truck moving east at 1.55 m/s. The Explorer and the garbage truck entangle together in the middle of the intersection and move as a single object. Determine the post-collision speed two entangled vehicles.

Answer 1

The post-collision speed of the two entangled vehicles is 5.08m/s

Step-by-step explanation:

According to the law of conservation of momentum which states that the sum of momentum of a body before collision is equal to the sum of the collision of the bodies after collision. The bodies moves with the same velovity after collision.

Mathematically, mu + MU = (m+M)v

m and M are the masses of the bodies

u and U are their respective velocities

v is their common velocity

Momentum = mass*velocity

BEFORE COLLISION;

Momentum of Ford Explorer = 2150*35

= 75,250kgm/s

Momentum of the garbage truck = 18, 250 * 1.55

= 28,287.5kgm/s

AFTER COLLISION;

Note that the body will move with the same velocity after collision.

Momentum of the bodies after entangling = (2,150+18,250)v

= 20,400v kgm/s (v is their common velocity)

According to thr law;

75,250+28,287.5 = 20,400v

103,537.5 = 20,400v

v = 103,537.5/20,400

v = 5.08m/s

The post-collision speed of the two entangled vehicles is 5.08m/s