In: Physics
(a) A toy car1 has a mass of 1.6 kg and is moving with a velocity of 6.0 m/s to the right. It collides with a second car2 (mass 2.4 kg). The cars stick together. After the collision, both cars move with a velocity of 1.5 m/s to the left.
(a) How fast and in what direction was car2 traveling before the
collision?
(b) Calculate the total kinetic energy of the system before and
after the collision.
a) Let the initial velocity of the car2 is u2.
Given that the initial velocity of the car1 is u1=6.0 m/s.
The final velocity of car1 and car2 is v=1.5 m/s.
The mass of the car1 is m1=1.6 kg.
The mass of the car2 is m2=2.4 kg.
From the conservation of the momentum, we can say
The car2 traveling with a velocity of 1.5 m/s and the direction is opposite to the initial direction of car1.
b) (i) Let the total kinetic energy of the system before the collision is E1.
From the formula of the kinetic energy, the total kinetic energy before the collision is
The totals kinetic energy of the system before the collision is 31.5 J.
(ii) Let the total kinetic energy of the system after the collision is E2.
From the formula of kinetic energy
The total kinetic energy of the system after the collision is 18 J.