Question

Two carts (100 g and 150 g) on an air track are separated by a compression spring. The spring is released. Represent the process with a momentum bar chart (a) with one cart as the system and (b) with both carts as the system. (c) Write expressions for all the physical quantities you can from this information. Identify your object of reference.

Answer 1

We define impulse of a particle

where,

• , the change of momentum of a particle. In a particle system momentum is conserved, it means

• force apply by the spring on the carts

then,

First case) only m1=100g (to the right of spring)

the impulse of the cart is

or

therefore, the momentum bar chat

Second case) only m2 =150g (to the left of spring)

the impulse of the cart is

or

therefore, the momentum bar chat

Third case) two masses m₁ and m₂

As for a particle system

then, impulse and net internal force of the particle system are zero too

Therefore, the momentum bar chat