A 0.5 kg cart moving at 2 m/s to the right collides head-on and sticks to a stationary 1.5 kg cart. What is the speed of the combined carts immediately after the collision?
Show the answer and explanation
Correct answer
A. 0.5 m/s
Principle or equation
Conservation of momentum for a perfectly inelastic collision: m1 v1 = (m1 + m2) v_final.
Why this answer is correct
Initial momentum = 0.5 * 2 = 1 kg m/s. Total mass = 2.0 kg. Thus v_final = 1 / 2 = 0.5 m/s.
Example
A 1 kg ball moving at 3 m/s hits a 2 kg stationary ball and sticks; final speed = 3 / 3 = 1 m/s.
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