A car is traveling at 35 m/s when it collides head-on with another vehicle (m = 2500 kg) traveling in the opposite direction. In the collision, the two vehicles come to a halt. At what speed was the 2500 kg vehicle traveling? (mass of the car is 1180 kg)

Question

Physics

Isabell Weber

24 February, 19:52

A car is traveling at 35 m/s when it collides head-on with another vehicle (m = 2500 kg) traveling in the opposite direction. In the collision, the two vehicles come to a halt. At what speed was the 2500 kg vehicle traveling? (mass of the car is 1180 kg)

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Answers (1)

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Edith Mckee · Answer 1

The second car was traveling at a speed of 16.52m/s

Explanation:

This type of collision is an inelastic collision when the total kinetic energy of the collision is conserved or when the bodies stick together

Given that

Mass m1=1180kg

m2=2500kg

u1=35m/s

u2=?

Since they came to an halt after collision v1 = v2=v=0

Momentum before collision

=m1u1+m1u2

Momentum after collision

= (m1+m2) v

According to the principle

=m1u1+m1u2 = (m1+m2) v

To find the initial velocity of the second car let us substitute this data into the expression

1180*35+2500*u2 = (1180+2500) 0

41300+2500u2=0

u2=41300/2500

u2=16.52m/s