Collisions
Applying new knowledge: Assume all collisions are one-dimensional.
1. A 10 kg puck initially moving at 20 m/s has a perfectly inelastic collision with a 20 kg puck.
a. Will the resulting velocity be greater than, less than, or equal to 10 m/s?
b. Calculate the resulting velocity.
2. A 2000 kg car traveling at 8.0 m/s has a rear-end collision with a 1500 kg car stopped at a traffic light. The
cars lock bumpers and skid off together.
a. Which of the ranges below is correct for the resulting velocity?
A. 0 m/s < v < 4 m/s B. 4 m/s < v < 8 m/s C. 8 m/s < v < 12 m/s
b. Calculate the resulting velocity.
c. Calculate the total kinetic energy of the cars before the collision and after the collision.
3. Two 10 kg pucks head straight towards each other with velocities of 10 m/s and -20 m/s.
They collide and stick together. Calculate the resulting velocity.
4. Two identical pucks of equal but unknown mass head straight towards each other with velocities of 8.0 m/s
and -6.0 m/s. They collide and stick together. What is their resulting velocity?
A. +7 m/s B. -7 m/s C. +1 m/s D. -1 m/s E. cannot be determined
5. A 1200 kg car traveling at an unknown velocity has a rear-end collision with a 1600 kg car parked in the
road. The cars lock bumpers and skid off together at 3.0 m/s. What was the velocity of the 1200 kg car
right before the collision?
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