High School

A truck with a mass of 3,141 kg is moving with a velocity of 7 m/s and hits a parked car with a mass of 652 kg. The impact causes the 652 kg car to be set in motion at 18 m/s. What is the velocity of the truck immediately after the collision?

Answer :

Final answer:

Using conservation of momentum, the velocity of the truck immediately after a collision, where it impacts a parked car and sets it in motion, is calculated to be 3.26 m/s.

Explanation:

The question involves the concept of conservation of momentum, which is a principle in physics stating that the total momentum of a closed system is constant if no external forces are acting on it. The original momentum of the truck before the collision can be calculated using the formula:

Momentum = mass × velocity

For the truck: Momentum = 3,141 kg × 7 m/s = 21987 kg·m/s

Since the parked car is initially at rest, it has no momentum before the collision. After the collision, the car is moving at 18 m/s, so its momentum is:

Momentum = 652 kg × 18 m/s = 11736 kg·m/s

According to the conservation of momentum, the total momentum before and after the collision must be the same, so we can set up the following equation:

21987 kg·m/s = 11736 kg·m/s + (3,141 kg × velocity of truck after collision)

Solving for the velocity of the truck after the collision, we get:

Velocity of truck after collision = (21987 kg·m/s - 11736 kg·m/s) / 3,141 kg

Velocity of truck after collision = 10251 kg·m/s / 3,141 kg = 3.26 m/s

Therefore, the velocity of the truck immediately after the collision is 3.26 m/s.