In this problem, we will consider the collision of two cars initially moving at right angles. We assume that after the collision the cars stick together and travel off as a single unit. The collision is therefore completely inelastic. The two cars are shown in the figure, of masses m1 and m2, collide at an intersection. Before the collision, car 1 was traveling eastward at a speed of v1, and car 2 was traveling northward at a speed of v2. (Figure 1)After the collision, the two cars stick together and travel off in the direction shown.
A) First, find the magnitude of v, that is, the speed v of the two-car unit after the collision.
B) Find the tangent of the angle θ
C) Suppose that after the collision, tanθ=1 in other words, θ is 45 degrees. Which quantities then must have been equal before the collision?
a) The magnitudes of the momenta of the cars
b) The masses of the cars
c) The speeds of the cars
In this problem, we will consider the collision of two cars initially moving at right angles. We assume that after the collision the cars stick together and travel off as a single unit. The collision is therefore completely inelastic. The two cars are shown in the figure, of masses m1 and m2, collide at an intersection. Before the collision, car 1 was traveling eastward at a speed of v1, and car 2 was traveling northward at a speed of v2. (Figure 1)After the collision, the two cars stick together and travel off in the direction shown.
A) First, find the magnitude of v, that is, the speed v of the two-car unit after the collision.
B) Find the tangent of the angle θ
C) Suppose that after the collision, tanθ=1 in other words, θ is 45 degrees. Which quantities then must have been equal before the collision?
a) The magnitudes of the momenta of the cars
b) The masses of the cars
c) The speeds of the cars
