Physics

Problem

Cart X (mass

2.0\,\text{kg}

) moves to the right at

3.0\,\text{m/s}

on a frictionless track while cart Y (mass

1.0\,\text{kg}

) moves to the left at

2.0\,\text{m/s}

. They collide in a perfectly elastic head-on collision. Which of the following gives the approximate final velocities of the carts? a)

v_{\!X}\approx+1.3\,\text{m/s}

v_{\!Y}\approx+1.3\,\text{m/s}

v_{\!X}\approx+2.3\,\text{m/s}

v_{\!Y}\approx+3.3\,\text{m/s}

v_{\!X}\approx-0.33\,\text{m/s}

(left),

v_{\!Y}\approx+4.7\,\text{m/s}

(right) d)

v_{\!X}=-2.0\,\text{m/s}

(left),

v_{\!Y}=+3.0\,\text{m/s}

(right)