Question

During a snowball fight, two snowball with masses of 0.30 kg and 0.70 kg, respectively, are thrown in such a manner that they meet head-on (traveling opposite directions) and combine to form a single mass. The magnitude of initial velocity for each is 10.4 m/s. What is the speed of the 1.0 kg mass immediately after the collision

Answer 1

10.4 m/s

Step-by-step explanation:

Given that

mass of the first snowball, m1 = 0.3 kg

mass of the second snowball, m2 = 0.7 kg

Magnitude of initial velocity for both masses, u = 10.4 m/s

To start with, we use the formula of conservation of linear momentum which states that

magnitude of initial momentum is equal to magnitude of final momentum.

m1u1 + m2u2 = V(m1 + m2)

0.3 * 10.4 + 0.7 * 10.4 = V(0.3 + 0.7)

3.12 + 7.28 = V(1)

10.4 = V

The 1 kg mass is an addition Of the 0.3 mass & 0.7 kg mass.

Thus, the speed of the 1 kg mass is 10.4 m/s