What is the angle of the car-truck combination after an inelastic collision?

AI Thread Summary
The discussion focuses on solving a physics problem involving an inelastic collision between a car and a truck. The car, with a mass of 499 kg, is moving east at 21 m/s, while the truck, weighing 1283 kg, is traveling south at 11 m/s. After the collision, the two vehicles lock together, and the problem requires determining the angle of their combined motion relative to east. The conservation of momentum is emphasized, with the need to analyze the x and y components separately to find the final velocity and angle. The solution involves using the arctangent function to calculate the angle based on the resultant momentum vectors.
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Homework Statement



A blue car with mass mc = 499 kg is moving east with a speed of vc = 21 m/s and collides with a purple truck with mass mt = 1283 kg that is moving south with a speed of vt = 11 m/s . The two collide and lock together after the collision.

What is the angle that the car-truck combination travel after the collision? (give your answer as an angle South of East)


Homework Equations




(1/2)mv^2


The Attempt at a Solution



I am not really sure how to set this problem up. I understand that they will stick together and that the momentum will be conserved. I also understand that this problem will require breaking it down into move along the x and y-axis but how do start.
 
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along x:
mass of truck (velocity) +mass of car(velocity)=(mass of truck and car)(vx)
. solve..

along y:
mass of truck (velocity) +mass of car(velocity)=(mass of truck and car)(vy)

ArcTan[x/y]=...

Love answering my own questions.
 

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