Angular Inelastic Collision: Mary, Bob & Jane

[NIZBIT]

This is an angular inelastic collision problem:

Mary, Bob and Jane are having a snowball fight. Mary throws a 50g snowball 60 degrees S of E at 6 m/s. Bob throws his 15g snowball 2.75m/s north. Jane's throws her 35g snowball at 3.25m/s west. How fast and what is the direction of the huge snowball?

So do I resolve each velocity vector and then sub in the formula v=(m1v1+m2v2+m3v3)/(m1+m2+m3)

 

[radou]

Yes, since angular momentum is conserved. Note only that v, v1, v2 and v3 are vector quantities.

 

[NIZBIT]

Now I'm confused. Is each vector multiplied by the mass then added together?

 

[radou]

Now I'm confused. Is each vector multiplied by the mass then added together?

Yes, it is.

 

[NIZBIT]

I'm getting 2.34m/s due south

 

[radou]

Which doesn't seem correct, unless I'm missing something. Go through your calculations again.

 

[NIZBIT]

Should I be using -60 degrees or 60 degrees?

 

[radou]

Should I be using -60 degrees or 60 degrees?

Use 60 degrees, but watch out for the sign of the unit vectors i and j.