Train cars are coupled together by being bumped into one another. Suppose two loaded train cars are moving toward one another, t
he first having a mass of 150,000 kg and a velocity of 0.300 m/s, and the second having a mass of 110,000 kg and a velocity of (-0.12 m/s). What is their final velocity?
1 answer:
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Answer:
No, it is not conserved
Explanation:
Let's calculate the total kinetic energy before the collision and compare it with the total kinetic energy after the collision.
The total kinetic energy before the collision is:
where m1 = m2 = 1 kg are the masses of the two carts, v1=2 m/s is the speed of the first cart, and where v2=0 is the speed of the second cart, which is zero because it is stationary.
After the collision, the two carts stick together with same speed v=1 m/s; their total kinetic energy is
So, we see that the kinetic energy was not conserved, because the initial kinetic energy was 2 J while the final kinetic energy is 1 J. This means that this is an inelastic collision, in which only the total momentum is conserved. This loss of kinetic energy does not violate the law of conservation of energy: in fact, the energy lost has simply been converted into another form of energy, such as heat, during the collision.