Inelastic Collision of an object Problem

In summary, the problem involves a collision between a 1.5 kg object and a stationary 2.0 kg object. The collision is perfectly inelastic and the question asks for the distance the combined system will travel along an inclined plane, neglecting friction. The solution involves calculating the velocity of the combined mass system before it starts up the incline, determining what will slow it down, and using conservation of momentum to find the height and distance traveled by the combined blocks.
  • #1
fire765
4
0
A m=1.5 kg object moving at 14 m/s collides with a stationary 2.0 kg object. If the collision is perfectly inelastic, how far along the inclined plane will the combined system travel? Neglect Friction.
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Any help would be appreciated
 
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  • #2
This is a three part question. First you need to calculate the velocity of the combined mass system before it begins up the incline. Second, you need to determine what will slow the combined mass system down, and to what magnitude (free-body diagram). Then, it's simple kinematics to see how far up the slope the system will go.
 
  • #3
I have the same exact problem with the incline...I think we have the same prof. Is it from the study guide on webassign?
 
  • #4
Using conservation momentum find the velocity of the combined mass before it starts climbing the inclined plane. After moving certain distance along inclined plane combined blocks stop. So loss of KE = gain in PE. From this you can get the height of the combind blocks from the ground. Using the angle of inclination you can find the distance moved by the blocks.
 
  • #5
complexc25 said:
I have the same exact problem with the incline...I think we have the same prof. Is it from the study guide on webassign?

yea its a group problem on webassign for my class

edit: I figured it out, thanks for the the help. find the KE (1/2mv^2) then set it equal to PE (mgh) and solve for h. then use trig to find the distance traveled. Again, thanks for the help, and there's one other problem ill be posting in a bit.
 
Last edited:

1. What is an inelastic collision?

An inelastic collision occurs when two objects collide and stick together, resulting in a loss of kinetic energy. This type of collision is characterized by a decrease in the total kinetic energy of the system.

2. How is momentum conserved in an inelastic collision?

In an inelastic collision, the total momentum of the system is conserved. This means that the sum of the momentum of the two objects before the collision is equal to the sum of the momentum of the combined objects after the collision.

3. How is the coefficient of restitution related to inelastic collisions?

The coefficient of restitution, usually denoted by the symbol e, is a measure of the elasticity of a collision. In an inelastic collision, the coefficient of restitution is less than 1, indicating a loss of kinetic energy.

4. What are some real-life examples of inelastic collisions?

Some common examples of inelastic collisions include a car crashing into a wall, a ball hitting the ground and bouncing back with less height, and two objects sticking together after colliding in space.

5. How can the equation for conservation of momentum be used to solve inelastic collision problems?

The equation for conservation of momentum, which states that the total momentum before a collision is equal to the total momentum after the collision, can be used to solve inelastic collision problems by setting the initial and final momentum values equal to each other and solving for the unknown variables.

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