Question

A 1180 kg car and 4720 kg truck undergo a perfectly inelastic collision. Before the collision, the car was traveling southward at 1.45 m/s , and the truck westward at 8.80 m/s.

Find the velocity of the wreckage immediately after the collision.

Enter the x and y components of the velocity separated by a comma. Assume that the positive x and y axes are directed eastward and northward, respectively.

Answer 1

momentum is conserved

x-component
... -8.80 [4720 / (4720 + 1180)]

y-component
... -1.45 [1180 / (1180 + 4720)]

v = √(x^2 + y^2)

the tangent of the reference angle in quad III is ... y/x