Physics

Problem

10. A cart with mass 2 m has a velocity

v

before it strikes another cart of mass 3 m at rest. The two carts couple and move off together with a velocity of (A)

v / 5

(B)

2 v / 5

(C)

2 v / 3

(D)

(2 / 5)^{1 / 2} v

(A)

v / 5

(B)

2 v / 5

(C)

2 v / 3

(D)

(2 / 5)^{1 / 2} v

Intuitive explanation

This is a perfectly inelastic collision where momentum is conserved but kinetic energy is not. The key insight is that the total momentum before the collision must equal the total momentum after—set up the equation with the initial moving cart and the stationary cart on one side, and their combined mass moving together on the other. Solve for the final velocity.

Intuitive explanation

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