Question

A carriage of mass 150 kg moving with a velocity of 1.2 m/s collides with a 300 kg carriage that is stationary on track. The second carriage moves at 0.8 m/s after the collision. Calculate the velocity of the first carriage after the collision.

Answer 1

From the conservation of momentum:

$$mv=Mu+mv'$$

$$(150)(1.2)=(300)(0.8)+150v'$$

$$v'=-0.4\frac{m}{s}$$