Question

A large diesel locomotive has a mass of about 1.1 x 105 kg and is traveling at night along with a track cruising at its standard speed of 120 km/h. As it comes around a bend, its conductor sees a small diesel locomotive (mass of about 3.00 x 104 kg) stopped on a straight stretch of tracks in front of him. He applies the engine breaks, but ice on the tracks cause him to slide. Assuming this is a closed and isolated system, and ignoring friction, how fast do each of the train engines move after the collision?

Answer 1