Two blocks of masses m1 = 4.64 kg and m2 = 7.01 kg are placed on a frictionless horizontal surface. A light spring is placed between the blocks and the blocks are pushed together with the spring between them and released. m1 kg moves to the right with a speed of 7.4 m/s. Determine the speed of the other mass. (Hint: Momentum is conserved!)
From conservation of momentum, initial momentum is same as the final momentum of the system. In this situation, the initial momentum of the system is zero. The if v1 is the final velocity of mass m1 and v2 is the final velocity of mass m2. since they both move in the opposite directions, the velocity of one of the block is negative let it be v2. So we get
This is the velocity of the block of mass m2.
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