Question

Two cars, both of mass m, collide and stick together. Prior to the collision, one car had been traveling north at speed 3v, while the second was traveling at speed 2v at an angle ? south of east (as indicated in the figure). After the collision, the two-car system travels at speed vfinal at an angle ? east of north. (Figure 1) Find the speed vfinal of the joined cars after the collision. Express your answer in terms of v and ?.

Answer 1

for car 1

mass=m

velocity=3v in north dirtection

for car 2

mass=m

velocity=2v at angle south of east

after collision

mass = 2m

velocity= at an angle east to north.

so whole system looks like this

so conserving linear momentum in x-direction

......(1)

in y-direction

.......(2)

now by solving eq (1) and (2)