A 1200 kg car traveling north at 10 m/s is rear-ended by a 2000 kg truck traveling at 27 m/s. What is the total momentum before and after the collision?

before collision

after collision

The same before and after of course

1200*10+2000*27

To find the total momentum before the collision, we need to calculate the individual momenta of the car and the truck and then add them together.

The momentum of an object is given by the product of its mass and velocity. So, the momentum of the car before the collision can be calculated as:

Momentum of the car before collision = mass of the car * velocity of the car
= 1200 kg * 10 m/s
= 12000 kg*m/s

Similarly, the momentum of the truck before the collision can be calculated as:

Momentum of the truck before collision = mass of the truck * velocity of the truck
= 2000 kg * 27 m/s
= 54000 kg*m/s

Therefore, the total momentum before the collision can be calculated by adding the individual momenta of the car and the truck:

Total momentum before collision = Momentum of the car before collision + Momentum of the truck before collision
= 12000 kg*m/s + 54000 kg*m/s
= 66000 kg*m/s

To find the total momentum after the collision, we can use the principle of conservation of momentum, which states that the total momentum of a system remains constant before and after a collision.

Since the collision is rear-end, the two vehicles will stick together and move with the same final velocity. Hence, the total momentum after the collision is the same as before the collision.

Therefore, the total momentum after the collision is also 66000 kg*m/s.

To calculate the total momentum before and after the collision, we need to use the formula:

Momentum (p) = mass (m) × velocity (v)

Before the collision, the car and truck have separate momenta, which we can calculate using their respective masses and velocities.

1. Calculate the momentum of the car before the collision:
Car momentum before collision = (Mass of the car) × (Velocity of the car)
= 1200 kg × 10 m/s
= 12000 kg·m/s

2. Calculate the momentum of the truck before the collision:
Truck momentum before collision = (Mass of the truck) × (Velocity of the truck)
= 2000 kg × 27 m/s
= 54000 kg·m/s

The total momentum before the collision is the sum of the individual momenta of the car and the truck:
Total momentum before collision = Car momentum before collision + Truck momentum before collision

Now, let's calculate the total momentum after the collision:

3. When the car and truck collide, they can stick together and move as one unit. This scenario is known as an inelastic collision.

In an inelastic collision, the total momentum after the collision can be calculated using the conservation of momentum principle, which states that the total momentum before the collision is equal to the total momentum after the collision.

Total momentum before collision = Total momentum after collision

Therefore, the total momentum after the collision will be the same as the total momentum before the collision:

Total momentum after collision = Total momentum before collision
= (Car momentum before collision) + (Truck momentum before collision)

Now, you can substitute the values we calculated earlier and find the total momentum after the collision.