What Happens When Two Equal Mass Carts Collide Head-On at the Same Velocity?

[game]

Hey here's a quick easy quetion, just to make sure doing a lab and please answer right away if possible. A dynamics cart moving with speed v is made to collide "head-on" with a second dynamics cart of equal mass, which is initially at rest. Well I predicted that both have equal masses they will experience the same roughly veolicity, is that correct?

But what if they collide on with same speed?

 

[HallsofIvy]

Both carts have the same speed and same mass. The situation is completely symmetric. What do YOU think will happen?

 

[arcnets]

Originally posted by HallsofIvy
Both carts have the same speed and same mass.

No, they don't. At least, not at the same time...(grin)
Initially, one car is at rest, the other is not.

Hint: ever played snooker?

 

[Doc Al]

I believe HallsofIvy was discussing the second question.

 

[HallsofIvy]

Yep, that was what I intended to answer but I didn't make that clear.

game, if you are still working on this- you really need more information. If you are assuming perfectly elastic collisions, then use conservation of momentum and conservation of energy to get two equations for the two final speeds.