Two identical trucks have mass 5100 kg when empty, and the maximum permissible load for each is 8000 kg. the first truck, carrying 4300 kg, is at rest. the second truck plows into it at 60 km/h, and the pair moves away at 42 km/h. part a as an expert witness, youâre asked to determine whether the second truck was overloaded. what do you report?

The 2nd truck was overloaded with a load of 16833 kg instead of the permissible load of 8000 kg. The key here is the conservation of momentum. For the first truck, the momentum is 0 (5100 + 4300) The second truck has a starting momentum of 60 (5100 + x) And finally, after the collision, the momentum of the whole system is 42 (5100 + 4300 + 5100 + x) So let's set the equations for before and after the collision equal to each other. 0 (5100 + 4300) + 60 (5100 + x) = 42 (5100 + 4300 + 5100 + x) And solve for x, first by adding the constant terms 0 (5100 + 4300) + 60 (5100 + x) = 42 (14500 + x) Getting rid of the zero term 60 (5100 + x) = 42 (14500 + x) Distribute the 60 and the 42. 60*5100 + 60x = 42*14500 + 42x 306000 + 60x = 609000 + 42x Subtract 42x from both sides 306000 + 18x = 609000 Subtract 306000 from both sides 18x = 303000 And divide both sides by 18 x = 16833.33 So we have the 2nd truck with a load of 16833.33 kg, which is well over it's maximum permissible load of 8000 kg. Let's verify the results by plugging that mass into the before and after collision momentums. 60 (5100 + 16833.33) = 60 (21933.33) = 1316000 42 (5100 + 4300 + 5100 + 16833.33) = 42 (31333.33) = 1316000 They match. The 2nd truck was definitely over loaded.