Question

A 500 kg sack of coal falls vertically onto a 2000 kg railroad flatcar which was initially moving horizontally at 3 m/s. no external forces, including friction, act on the flatcar. after the sack rests on the flatcar, the speed of the flatcar is:

Answer 1

Since there are no external forces, including friction, act on the flatcar. after the sack rests on the flatcar, we would assume that momentum is conserved. This means that

total momentum of car before collision = total momentum of car after collision.

Recall,

momentum = mass x velocity

From the information given,

mass of car before collision = 2000

velocity of car before collision = 3

Thus,

total momentum of car before collision = 2000 x 3 = 6000

Also,

mass of sack = 500

mass of car and sack after collision = 500 + 2000 = 2500

velocity after collision = v

momentum after collision = 2500 x v = 2500v

Since momentum is conserved, then

6000 = 2500v

v = 6000/2500

v = 2.4

the speed of the flatcar is 2.4 m/s