Answers A 2.84 kg mud ball has a perfectly inelastic collision with a second mud ball that is initially at rest. The composite system moves with a speed equal to one-seventh the original speed of the 2.84 mud ball. What is the mass of the second mud ball

Perfectly inelastic collision is type of collision during which two objects collide, stay connected and momentum is conserved. Formula used for conservation of momentum is:

In case of perfectly inelastic collision v'1 and v'2 are same.

We have following information:

m₁=3 kg

m₂=? kg

v₁=x m/s

v₂=0 m/s

v'1 = v'2 = 1/3 * v₁

Now we insert given information and solve for m₂:

3*v₁ + 0*? = 3*1/3*v₁ + m₂*1/3*v₁

3v₁ = v₁ + m₂*1/3*v₁

2v₁ = m₂*1/3*v₁

2 = m₂*1/3

m₂= 6kg

Mass of second mud ball is 6kg.