Momentum in a complicated system

[ddddd28]

let's assume we have a wagon in a wagon in a wagon and so on, which can move freely. friction is negligible. their mass is same. what will happen if someone gives a push to the whole system?

 

[BvU]

Hello 5d,

If the push is from the outside, only the outer wagon will accelerate.

 

[A.T.]

If the push is from the outside, only the outer wagon will accelerate.

Initially.

 

[ddddd28]

Hello 5d,

If the push is from the outside, only the outer wagon will accelerate.

but what happens after the collision of the inner wagon ?

 

[A.T.]

but what happens after the collision of the inner wagon ?

Elastic or inelastic?

 

[ddddd28]

elastic. all the conditions are ideal.

 

[BvU]

Is this a real exercise or a figment of the imagination ?
When the first inner wagon hits the back wall of the outer one, there is a collision, apparently with kinetic energy conservation. But definitely with momentum conservation. Without any givens at all, there isn't much to say about this. Inner wagons will bounce back and forth, so the outer wagon will move irregularly.

 

[ddddd28]

This is not a real problem. being interested to build that system, since it probably will not perform a "regular motion", but failed to predict it. let's assume each wagon is half of the length of the outer one , and there are four of them, for simplicity. how exactly the outer wagon will move?

 

[BvU]

You forgot to give several needed given data, including the initial conditions for these equations