Question

A 26 g ball of clay traveling east at 3.3 m/s collides with a 33 g ball of clay traveling north at 2.6 m/s .

A) What is the movement direction of the resulting 59 g blob of clay?

B)What is the speed of the resulting 59 g blob of clay?

Answer 1

apply momentum conservation in both direction let east to by as +x and north as +y  

in east

Pi = Pf

26*10^-3 * 3.3 +33*10^-3 *0 = ( 59*10^-3 ) *Vx

from here we got Vx = 1.454 m/s in east

in north

Pi = Pf

26*10^-3 * 0 +33*10^-3 *2.6 = ( 59*10^-3 ) *Vy

Vy = 1.454 m/s in north

now

direction = Atan( Vy/Vx) = Atan( 1.454/1.454) = 45 degree north of east or 45 deg east of north

speed of the resulting blob = sqrt( Vx^2+Vy^2) = sqrt(1.454^2+1.454^2) =2.05626652 m/s

let me know in comment if there is any problem or doubt