Question

A car with a mass of 1040 kg and a speed of v1 = 15.0 m/s approaches an intersection, as shown in the figure. A 1270 kg minivan traveling at v2 is heading for the same intersection. The car and minivan collide and stick together. The direction of the wreckage after the collision is theta=40.0 degrees above the x axis.
Part A) Find the initial speed of the minivan, assuming external forces can be ignored (in m/s).
Part B) Find the final speed of the wreckage (in m/s).

02

Answer 1

Given data:
mass m1 = 1040 kg
v1= 15 m/s
mass m2 = 1270 kg
v2 = ?
theta = 40 degrees

Let the car is travelling on X-axis and the minivan is travelling on the Y-axis,
=Let the final velocity of the wreckage is v m/s and the initial velocity of the minivan is u m/s
By equating the components on X & Y axis by the law of momentum conservation:-
On X-axis:-
=m1u1 = (m1+m2) x vcos40
=1040*15 = (1040+1270) *cos(40)*v
=v = 8.81 m/s
On Y-axis:-
=m2u2 = (m1+m2) x vsin40
=1270* u = (1040+1270) *8.81*sin(40)
=u = 10.30 m/s