Physics 271: Advanced Honors Physics I
Recitation #7
Fall 2017
50. (a) 1.81 m/s. For
inelastic collisions, you have only one equation (conservation of
momentum) so you have to be given 5 out of the 6 quantities (initial
speeds, final speeds, and masses) so you can solve for the 6th. The
math is easy.
(b) 4.96 m/s. Easiest to compute BEFORE the collision in this case,
when one of the masses is at rest. Even though its speed is zero, it
contributes to the total mass in the denominator.
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