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Homework Statement
A 1200kg car moving at 8m/s to the right strikes a 2000kg truck moving at 4m/s to the left. Afterwards the velocity of the car is is 6m/s to the left. What is the velocity of the truck?
The formula for calculating the velocity of a car and truck after a collision is: v = (m1v1 + m2v2) / (m1 + m2) where v is the final velocity, m1 and m2 are the masses of the car and truck respectively, and v1 and v2 are their initial velocities.
The mass of the vehicles plays a significant role in determining the velocity after a collision. The larger the mass, the more momentum the vehicle has and the greater the impact will be. Therefore, a collision between a heavier car and a lighter truck will result in a higher velocity for the truck.
No, the velocity of the car and truck after a collision is not always equal. The final velocity is determined by the masses and initial velocities of the vehicles. If the initial velocities are different, the final velocity will also be different.
Besides mass and initial velocities, other factors that can affect the velocity of the vehicles after a collision include the angle of impact, the coefficient of restitution (a measure of the objects' elasticity), and external forces such as friction or drag. These factors can alter the final velocity and make it different from what is calculated using the basic formula.
Yes, the velocity of the vehicles after a collision can be negative. This means that the vehicles are moving in the opposite direction of their initial motion. This can occur if the collision is inelastic, meaning that some of the kinetic energy is lost to other forms of energy such as heat or sound.