Elastic Cart Collision of a stationary and a moving cart

AI Thread Summary
The discussion revolves around solving a physics problem involving an elastic collision between two carts. Cart1 is initially at rest and is struck by Cart2, which has a known mass and initial speed. The user initially struggles with the calculations but eventually finds the mass of Cart1 to be approximately 420.9 kg and the speed of Cart1 after the collision to be about 0.922 m/s. The solution involves applying the principles of conservation of momentum and energy. The user successfully corrects their approach to arrive at the final answers.
Potato21
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I'm having some trouble with some homework and I'm hoping someone can help me.

PROBLEM:
#6. Cart1, with mass m, is initially at rest and is struck by cart2,
which has a mass of 336 kg and initial speed of 1.81 m/s. The collision
is elastic and after the collision cart2 continues to move in its
original direction at 0.807 m/s. Find m, the mass of cart1.
#7.Find the speed of cart1 after the collision.

ATTEMPT AT SOLUTION:

I have calculated that

m1v1+m2v2=m1v1'+m2v2'
m1(0)+336kg(1.81m/s)=m1v1'+336kg(0.807m/s)
m1v1'=336kg(1.81-0.807)
m1v1'=337 kg*m/s

I'm stuck here. I tried calculating the amount of energy the second
cart should have

1/2m2(v2-v2')^2=
0.5(336)(1.81-0.807)^2=169J

and then that

169J=0.5m1(v1)^2 so that

m1=169*2/v1^2

and subbing that into

m1v1'=337 kg*m/s

(169*2/v1'^2)*v1'=337 kg*m/s

338/v1'=337

thus v1' =338/337

This however does not answer #7 and when working backwards to find the
mass it also provides the wrong answer.

Thank you for any assistance you can provide.
Potato21EDIT: Oops, dumb mistake, I got it!
 
Last edited:
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To find the mass of Cart 1, we can rearrange our equation as follows:m1v1'= 336kg(1.81-0.807)m1 = (336kg(1.81-0.807))/(v1')Since v1' = 0.807m/s,m1 = (336kg(1.81-0.807))/(0.807m/s)m1 = 420.9kgTo find the speed of Cart 1 after the collision, we can use conservation of momentum:m1v1 + m2v2 = m1v1' + m2v2'm1*0 + 336kg*1.81m/s = m1*v1' + 336kg*0.807m/sm1*v1' = 336kg*(1.81-0.807)m/sv1' = (336kg*(1.81-0.807m/s))/m1v1' = (336kg*(1.81-0.807m/s))/420.9kgv1' = 0.922m/s
 
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