Two hockey pucks slide frictionlessly on a large horizontal sheet of ice
PHYSICS · Multi-part · AP · Physics 1: Algebra-based · Linear Momentum · Linear Momentum
Problem
Two hockey pucks slide frictionlessly on a large horizontal sheet of ice. Puck P (mass 0.16 kg) moves due east at 3.0 m/s, while puck Q (mass 0.20 kg) moves due north at 4.0 m/s.
Neglect any external horizontal forces.
(a) Calculate the east (x) and north (y) components of the momentum of each puck.
(b) Determine the magnitude and direction (angle north of east) of the total momentum of the two-puck system.
(c) Find the speed of a single hypothetical puck whose mass equals the combined mass of pucks P and Q and whose momentum equals the total momentum you found in part (b).