Math Practice: Cart A loaded with blocks (600g) moving left at 0.7m/s hits stationary cart B (200g). After the collision, both carts move left, Cart A at speed 0.27m/s.

What is the velocity of cart B after the collision? Show your work.

The velocity of cart B after the collision is 1.29 m/s.

Explanation:

We can find the velocity of cart B by conservation of linear momentum:

Where:

is the mass of cart A = 600 g = 0.6 kg            

is the mass of cart B = 200 g = 0.2 kg

is the inital velocity of cart A = 0.7 m/s

is the final velocity of cart A = 0.27 m/s

is the initial velocity of cart B = 0

is the final velocity of cart B =?

Taking the left direction as the positive horizontal direction:

Therefore, the velocity of cart B after the collision is 1.29 m/s.

I hope it helps you!