Cart X (mass ) moves to the right at on a frictionless track while cart Y (mass )…

PHYSICS · Single correct · AP · Physics 1: Algebra-based · Linear Momentum · Linear Momentum

Problem

Cart X (mass

2.0\,\text{kg}

) moves to the right at

3.0\,\text{m/s}

on a frictionless track while cart Y (mass

1.0\,\text{kg}

) moves to the left at

2.0\,\text{m/s}

. They collide in a perfectly elastic head-on collision. Which of the following gives the approximate final velocities of the carts? (a)

v_{\!X}\approx+1.3\,\text{m/s}

v_{\!Y}\approx+1.3\,\text{m/s}

(b)

v_{\!X}\approx+2.3\,\text{m/s}

v_{\!Y}\approx+3.3\,\text{m/s}

(c)

v_{\!X}\approx-0.33\,\text{m/s}

(left),

v_{\!Y}\approx+4.7\,\text{m/s}

(right) (d)

v_{\!X}=-2.0\,\text{m/s}

(left),

v_{\!Y}=+3.0\,\text{m/s}

(right)