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A 900kg Car, Traveling 13m/s to the Right Collides with a 3000kg Semi Truck Initially at Rest. After the 0.7s Collision, the Semi Truck

Question

A 900kg car, traveling 13m/s to the right collides with a 3000kg semi truck initially at rest. After the 0.7s collision, the semi truck ends up moving 5.3m/s right. vert Jvert =15,900kgm/s before collision: P_(car)=11,700kgm/s P_(truck)=0 kgm/s after collision: P_(car)=square kgm/s P_(truck)=15,900kgm/s What direction did the car move after the collision? square v How fast did the car move after the collision? square m/s

Solution

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Answer

To solve this problem, we will use the **law of conservation of momentum** and the given data. The total momentum before the collision must equal the total momentum after the collision.---### Step 1: Write down the known values- Mass of the car ( ) = - Initial velocity of the car ( ) = (to the right)- Mass of the truck ( ) = - Initial velocity of the truck ( ) = (at rest)- Final velocity of the truck ( ) = (to the right)The impulse on the truck is given as: ---### Step 2: Calculate the total momentum before the collisionThe total momentum before the collision is the sum of the momenta of the car and the truck: ---### Step 3: Calculate the total momentum after the collisionThe total momentum after the collision is the sum of the momenta of the car and the truck: We know the momentum of the truck after the collision: Using the law of conservation of momentum: Solve for : ---### Step 4: Determine the direction of the car's motion after the collisionThe negative sign in indicates that the car is moving to the **left** after the collision.---### Step 5: Calculate the car's velocity after the collisionThe momentum of the car after the collision is related to its velocity by: Substitute the known values: Solve for : The negative sign confirms that the car is moving to the **left**, and its speed is: ---### Final Answers:1. **Direction of the car after the collision:** Left2. **Speed of the car after the collision:**