Was the Driver Really Traveling Under 15 km/hr?

AI Thread Summary
The discussion revolves around a scenario where a driver rear-ends a stopped car, and the key question is whether the moving driver was traveling under 15 km/hr. To determine this, the speed of the cars post-collision must be calculated using the principles of momentum and kinetic friction. The frictional coefficient of 0.92 and the masses of both vehicles are crucial for these calculations. The conclusion drawn from the calculations indicates that the driver's claim of traveling under 15 km/hr is false, as the calculated speed is 23.3 km/hr. The conversation emphasizes the importance of applying the correct physics equations to solve the problem.
KrispyKrunch
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Hey there! So, I've got this sample exam that I'm working my way through, and I'm stuck on a few questions, but this one is particularly frustrating me:

A careless driver rear-ends a car that is stopped at an intersection. Just before the collision, the driver slams on his brakes, locking the wheels. The mass of the struck car also has his foot on the brake pedal, locking the wheels. The mass of the struck car is 900kg, and that of the initially moving car is 1200Kg. On collision, the bumpers of the two cars mesh. Police determines from skid marks that after the collision the two cars moved 0.76metres together, straight into the intersection. Tests revealed that the frictional coefficient of kinetic friction between the tires and pavement was 0.92. The driver of the moving car claims that he was traveling less than 15 km/hr as he approached the intersection. Is he telling the truth? Hint find the speed of the cars just after the collision first.

(Possible?) Equations:

fkinetic = (µkinetic)(n)
(µkinetic)=kinetic friction coefficient
n= m*g

m1 v1i + m2 v2i = m1 v1f + m2 v2f
and
1/2 m1 v1i2 + 1/2 m2 v2i2 = 1/2 m1 v1f2 +1/2 m2 v2f2
(am I missing any equations ?)


Ok, so to start, I don't know how to get the speed? I'm assuming you would first change the meters into Km, but I honestly don't know how to get the speed! I know that once I get the initial velocity, I can use the elastic collision formula to figure out the final velocity(or is it the other way around?) If you could point me in the right direction that would be fantastic! Thanks!
 
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Also, I know that the answer is supposed to be 23.3km/hr, and that the driver was not telling the truth.
 
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