Question

A green car with a mass 1000 kg is traveling east at 40 m/s. Simultaneously, a yellow car with 1500 kg is traveling north at 30 m/s. They collide in a perfectly inelastic collision such that there is no rotation. A)during the collision which car experiences a greater force? Why? B) what is the momentum of each car before the collision? C) what is the magnitude of the momentum of the two combined cars after the collision? D)what is the speed/Magnitude of the two cars after the collision? E) what is the direction of the motion of the cars after the collision?

Answer 1

(A)

The force on both car will be equal because of impulse and collision time is same hence average force on both car is equal but opposite

(B)

and

(C)

According to momentum conservation

the magnitude is

(D)

According to momentum conservation

then magnitude is

(E)