Cadillac-Geo Collision: Calculating Speed of Impact

AI Thread Summary
To calculate the speed of the Cadillac before the collision, the problem involves using the principles of conservation of momentum and the effects of friction. The two cars, after colliding, slide 25 meters at an angle of 20° north of east, which allows for the determination of their combined initial velocity. The frictional force, derived from the coefficient of kinetic friction and the normal force, is crucial for calculating the deceleration of the wreck. Understanding how friction affects deceleration is essential, as it directly relates to Newton's second law. The solution requires integrating these concepts to find the Cadillac's initial speed.
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Homework Statement


A Cadillac of mass 2250 kg going east collides with a Geo of mass 1180 kg headed north on a level highway. The cars remain tangled and slide to rest after traveling 25 m in a straight line at an angle of 20° north of east. The coefficient of kinetic friction for the tires on the road is 0.2. How fast was the Cadillac traveling before the unfortunate collision?

Homework Equations


Frictional Force = coefficient of friction x normal force, inelastic collision, conservation of momentum, motion formulas.

The Attempt at a Solution


Did not know how to approach problem.

Thanks for the help
 
Last edited:
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The frictional force allows you to calculate the deceleration of the two cars, which will allow you to solve for the initial velocity of the wreck, and then you can use the conservation of momentum law to calculate the components of the momentum before and after the collision, and thus the initial velocity of the Cadillac before the collision.
 
With the coefficient of kinetic friction, am I suppose to use it with normal force to find frictional force?

And also, I don't really understand how frictional force applies to deceleration.
 
With the coefficient of kinetic friction, am I suppose to use it with normal force to find frictional force?
Yes.

And also, I don't really understand how frictional force applies to deceleration.
Newton's 2nd law.
 

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