Question

Car 1 is parked when it is hit by Car 2. The momentum of Car 2 before the collision was 50 kg m/s. The momentum of Car 1 after the collision is 10 kg m/s. What is the momentum of Car 2 AFTER the collision?

Answer 1

Answer on Question 57765, Physics – Mechanics | Relativity

Question:

Car 1 is parked when it is hit by Car 2. The momentum of Car 2 before the collision was $50 \, kgms^{-1}$. The momentum of Car 1 after the collision is $10 \, kgms^{-1}$. What is the momentum of Car 2 after the collision?

Solution:

From the Law of Conservation of Momentum we have:

$$p_{Car\ 1(initial)} + p_{Car\ 2(initial)} = p_{Car\ 1(final)} + p_{Car\ 2(final)}.$$

From this formula we can find the momentum of Car 2 after the collision, $p_{Car\ 2(final)}$:

0 \, kgms^{-1} + 50 \, kgms^{-1} = 10 \, kgms^{-1} + p_{Car\ 2(final), $$p_{Car\ 2(final)} = 50 \, kgms^{-1} - 10 \, kgms^{-1} = 40 \, kgms^{-1}.$$

Answer:

The momentum of Car 2 after the collision is $p_{Car\ 2(final)} = 40 \, kgms^{-1}$.

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