envscigrl
Oct21-04, 04:40 PM
PRoblem:
A 4.00-kg block is traveling to the right at 5.50 m/s, and a second 4.00-kg block is traveling to the left at 4.00 m/s. Find the total kinetic energy of the two blocks in this reference frame.
I did this by adding the two kinetic energies from the equation K =p^2/2m.
It then asks:
Find the velocity of the center of mass of the two-body system
and
Find the speed of the two blocks relative to the center of mass.
I was thinking about finding the x and y components of the collision and trying to find the answer that way but I dont know how to set up a drawing or which directions the blocks will be travelling after the collision. It has been a long week I am just confused!! Pleas help!!! :surprised
A 4.00-kg block is traveling to the right at 5.50 m/s, and a second 4.00-kg block is traveling to the left at 4.00 m/s. Find the total kinetic energy of the two blocks in this reference frame.
I did this by adding the two kinetic energies from the equation K =p^2/2m.
It then asks:
Find the velocity of the center of mass of the two-body system
and
Find the speed of the two blocks relative to the center of mass.
I was thinking about finding the x and y components of the collision and trying to find the answer that way but I dont know how to set up a drawing or which directions the blocks will be travelling after the collision. It has been a long week I am just confused!! Pleas help!!! :surprised