Question

A 7950-kg railroad car travels alone on a level frictionless track with a constant speed of 15.0 m/s . A 2950-kg load, initially at rest, is dropped onto the car.
What will be the car's new speed?
Express your answer to three significant figures and include the appropriate units.

Answer 1

The new speed of car is 10.9 m/s

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According to the principle of momentum conservation, momentum is only modified by the action of forces as they are outlined by Newton's equations of motion; momentum is never created nor destroyed inside a problem domain.

Mass of the railroad car, m₁ = 7950 kg

Mass of the load, m₂ = 2950 kg

It can be assumed as the speed of the car, u₁ = 15 m/s

Initially, it is at rest, u₂ = 0

Let v is the speed of the car. It can be calculated using the conservation of momentum as :

$m_1u_1 + m_2u_2 = (m_1 + m_2) v$

$v =\frac{m_1u_1}{m_1+m_2}$

$v = \frac{7950*15}{7950+2950}$

$v= 10.9 m/s$

Therefore, the new speed of care is 10.9 m/s

Learn more about momentum here:

brainly.com/question/22257327

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