Answer:
The fraction of kinetic energy lost in the collision in term of the initial energy is 0.49.
Explanation:
As the final and initial velocities are known it is possible then the kinetic energy is possible to calculate for each instant.
By definition, the kinetic energy is:
k = 0.5*mV^2
Expressing the initial and final kinetic energy for cars A and B:
Since the masses are equals:
For the known velocities, the kinetics energies result:
The lost energy in the collision is the difference between the initial and final kinectic energies:
Finally the relation between the lost and the initial kinetic energy: