Question

a 40-kg skater moving South at 6.2 m/s collides with a 60-kg skater moving East at 4.0 m/s. The two skaters entangle and move together across the friction-free ice. Determine the magnitude and direction of their post-collision velocity. The direction should be an angle.

I know I need to set up an equation setting the initial momentum equal to the final momentum but I don't know how to set it up or what to do with the directions. Can someone help me?

Answers

Calculate
1. Initial momentum South m1 V1
2. Initial momentum East m2 U2

Final speed = S, final m = (m1+m2)
angle BELOW x axis = A
3. Final momentum South = (m1+m2) S cos A
4 Final momentum East = (m1+m2) S sin A

now set the initial south and east momenta = to the final ones and solve for S and A
whoops, reeversed sin and cos

3. Final momentum South = (m1+m2) S sin A
4 Final momentum East = (m1+m2) S cos A
....need more coffee!

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