Question

A block of mass m1 = 3.5 kg moves with velocity v1 = 6.3 m/s on a frictionless surface. it collides with block of mass m2 = 1.7 kg which is initially stationary. the blocks stick together and encounter a rough surface. the blocks eventually come to a stop after traveling a distance d = 1.85 m . what is the coefficient of kinetic friction on the rough surface? μk =

Answer 1

First, let's find the speed $v_i$ of the two blocks m1 and m2 sticked together after the collision.
We can use the conservation of momentum to solve this part. Initially, block 2 is stationary, so only block 1 has momentum different from zero, and it is:
$p_i = m_1 v_1$
After the collision, the two blocks stick together and so now they have mass $m_1 +m_2$ and they are moving with speed $v_i$:
$p_f = (m_1 + m_2)v_i$
For conservation of momentum
$p_i=p_f$
So we can write
$m_1 v_1 = (m_1 +m_2)v_i$
From which we find
$v_i = \frac{m_1 v_1}{m_1+m_2}= \frac{(3.5 kg)(6.3 m/s)}{3.5 kg+1.7 kg}=4.2 m/s$

The two blocks enter the rough path with this velocity, then they are decelerated because of the frictional force $\mu (m_1+m_2)g$. The work done by the frictional force to stop the two blocks is
$\mu (m_1+m_2)g d$
where d is the distance covered by the two blocks before stopping.
The initial kinetic energy of the two blocks together, just before entering the rough path, is
$\frac{1}{2} (m_1+m_2)v_i^2$
When the two blocks stop, all this kinetic energy is lost, because their velocity becomes zero; for the work-energy theorem, the loss in kinetic energy must be equal to the work done by the frictional force:
$\frac{1}{2} (m_1+m_2)v_i^2 =\mu (m_1+m_2)g d$
From which we can find the value of the coefficient of kinetic friction:
$\mu = \frac{v_i^2}{2gd}= \frac{(4.2 m/s)^2}{2(9.81 m/s^2)(1.85 m)}=0.49$