A car moving with an initial speed v collides with a second stationary car that is 55.0 percent as massive. After the collision the first car moves in the same direction as before with a speed that is 34.6 percent of the original speed. Calculate the final speed of the second car. Give your answer in units of the initial speed (i.e. as a fraction of v). Is this collision elastic or inelastic? The collision is inelastic. The collision is elastic.
Let M be the mass of the car amcd v be the initial mass of the car
The mass of the second car is 0.55M
The final speed of the firct car is 0.346v
Let v' be the speed of the second car
According to the conservation of linear momentum
Mv = M*0.346v + 0.55M*v'
v' = 0.896v
Therefore the final speed of the second car is 0.896 times the initial speed of the first car
The initial kinetic energy of the system Ki = 0.5Mv2
The final kinetic energy of the system is Kf = 0.5*M(0.346)2 + 0.5(0.55M)(0.896v)2
Kf = 0.28*Mv2
The kinetic energy of the system is not conserved during the collision
Therefore the collision is inelastic in nature
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