Question

You hold glider A of mass 0.125 kg and glider B of mass 0.375 kg at rest on an air track with a compressed spring of negligible mass between them. When you release the gliders, the spring pushes them apart. Once the gliders are no longer in contact with the spring, glider A is moving to the right at 0.600 m/s. What is the velocity (magnitude and direction) of glider B at this time?

Answer 1

Answer:

0.2 m/s

Explanation:

$m_A$ = Mass of glider A= 0.125 kg

$m_B$ = Mass of glider B = 0.375 kg

$u_A$ = Initial Velocity of glider A = 0 m/s

$u_B$ = Initial Velocity of glider B = 0 m/s

$v_A$ = Final Velocity of glider A = 0.6 m/s

$v_B$ = Final Velocity of glider B

As linear momentum is conserved

$m_{A}u_{A}+m_{B}u_{B}=m_{A}v_{A}+m_{B}v_{B}\\\Rightarrow v_B=\frac{m_{A}u_{A}+m_{B}u_{B}-m_{A}v_{A}}{m_{B}}\\\Rightarrow v_b=\frac{0+0-0.125\times 0.6}{0.375}\\\Rightarrow v_b=-0.2\ m/s$

Magnitude of the glider B at this time is 0.2 m/s