As shown in the figure below, cars #1 and #2 are sliding across a horizontal fri

Question

As shown in the figure below, cars #1 and #2 are sliding across a horizontal frictionless surface. The cars are equipped with a coupling arrangement similar to the one on railroad cars. Car #1 overtakes car #2 and they have a totally inelastic collision and become coupled together. You know the mass of each car;

and

In addition, you are provided with the following graph, which shows the momentum of car #1 before, during and after the collision. Determine the velocity of car #2 before the collision.
m/s

As shown in the figure below, cars #1 and #2 are sliding across a horizontal frictionless surface. The cars are equipped with a coupling arrangement similar to the one on railroad cars. Car #1 overtakes car #2 and they have a totally inelastic collision and become coupled together. You know the mass of each car;

Explanation / Answer

from the graph

momentum of car #1 before collision = 100Kg-m/s

momentum of car #1 after collision = 40 Kg-m/s

==> velocity of car #1 after collision = 40/15.5 m/s

==> conserving momentum

m1*v1 +m2*v2=(m1+m2)*vf

==> 100 +48*v2 = (15.5+48)*40/15.5

==> v2= 1.33 m/s

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