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Elleboys
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Homework Statement
A 4.80kg cart has a spring with spring constant 3200N/m attached to its front, parallel to the ground. This cart rolls at 4.40m/s toward a stationary cart with mass 1.60kg .
Homework Equations
PEspiring = 1/2*kx^2
KE = 1/2*mv^2
The Attempt at a Solution
I was setting up the equations to be 1/2*kx^2 = 1/2*mv^2
So I got x = sqrt(mv^2/k)
But as I put it into mastering physics, it said 'If all the kinetic energy is converted to spring potential energy, then the speed of both carts is zero and the momentum is zero. This means the momentum is not conserved. Think about the motion. When the spring is compressed the most, the carts are the closest together. How are their motions related at this point?'
I don't quite understand what it is talking about so please help