Answer: Graph C is the correct option
Explanation:
The question is incomplete, please remember to submit the whole question :)
However, the rest of the question with its corresponding figures is below:
Assume that positive momentum is to the right, which of the following best represents the momentum of the cart of mass m as a function of time before and after the collision?
The initial momentum of the cart with mass
(before the collision) is:
(1) Note the negative sign indicates the direction of cart's velocity (to the left, as seen in the first image attached)
On the other hand, the final momentum of both carts (after the inelastic collision) is:
(2)
So, according to this, the correct graph tha best represents the situation is C. Since before the collision the momentum is negative, then both carts slow down after the collision (), and taking into account the linear momentum is directly proportional to the velocity
(although is in the positive direction) is less than
.
