A 1700 kg passenger car is cruising along a straight road at a speed of 25 m/s.

Question

A 1700 kg passenger car is cruising along a straight road at a speed of 25 m/s.

(a) The passenger car collides into a much smaller car with a mass 580 kg that is parked in the middle of the road. If the collision is completely inelastic, what is the speed of the smaller car right after the collision?


(b) If the passenger car collides into a much bigger truck with a mass 9600 kg that is parked in the middle of the road, what is the truck's speed right after the collision? Assume that the collision is completely inelastic.

Explanation / Answer

a) Since the collision is completely inelastic, both cars move together after the collision

 Momentum of the system will be conserved

m1 v1 +m2 x 0  = (m1 +m2) v

v= (1700 x 25) /2280

  = 18.64 m/s

b) Again the collision is completely inelastic, the car and the truck move together after the collision.

m1 v1 + m2 x 0   = (m1 +m2) v

v = (1700 x 25) / 11300

    = 3.761 m/s

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