Solve for Acceleration: 10 kg vs 30 kg Object Collision in Science Homework

[RachelR]

We are lost, trying to help daughter with science work. "If a 10 kg object collides with a 30 kg object and the 10 kg one accelerates at the rate of 60m/s, what was the acceleration of the 30 kg object?"
?? We arent sure what to do, what formula to use, if its f=mass X acceleration or what... is it 10 kg x 60 m/s?

 

[nrqed]

We are lost, trying to help daughter with science work. "If a 10 kg object collides with a 30 kg object and the 10 kg one accelerates at the rate of 60m/s, what was the acceleration of the 30 kg object?"
?? We arent sure what to do, what formula to use, if its f=mass X acceleration or what... is it 10 kg x 60 m/s?

Welcome to the forums.

To be honest, stated like this the question does not make sense.
First, an acceleration is in meter per second squared, so the 60m/s number you are giving either has the wrong units or it is a speed, not an acceleration.

This sounds much more like a problem of conservation of momentum but there is not information supplied to even start answering the question. Do the objects stick together or do they rebound?

Is it possible to write down the question exactly as it was formulated?