Question: A student runs an experiment with two carts on a low-friction track. As measured in the Earth reference frame, cart 1 ( (m=0.36 mathrm{~kg}) )

A student runs an experiment with two carts on a low-friction track. As measured in the Earth reference frame, cart 1 ( \(m=0.36 \mathrm{~kg}\) ) moves from left to right at \(1.0 \mathrm{~m} / \mathrm{s}\) as the student walks along next to it at the same velocity.

(a) What velocity \(\vec{v}_{\mathrm{F} 2,}\) in the Earth reference frame must cart 2 ( \(m=0.12 \mathrm{~kg}\) ) have before the collision if, in the student's reference frame, cart 2 comes to rest right after the collision and cart 1 reverses direction and travels from right to left at \(0.33 \mathrm{~m} / \mathrm{s}\) ?

(b) What does the student measure for the momentum of the two-cart system?

(c) What does a person standing in the Earth reference frame measure for the momentum of each cart before the collision? 

Step by Step Solution

There are 3 Steps involved in it

1 Expert Approved Answer
Step: 1 Unlock

Lets solve each part of the problem a First lets consider the conservation of momentum in the studen... View full answer

blur-text-image
Question Has Been Solved by an Expert!

Get step-by-step solutions from verified subject matter experts

Step: 2 Unlock
Step: 3 Unlock

Students Have Also Explored These Related Particle Physics Questions!