A truck of mass 500 kg moving at 4 m/s collides with another truck of mass 1500 kg moving in the same direction at 2 m/s. What is their common velocity just after the collision if they move off together?


Here given, the mass of the first truck, $m_1=500\ kg$

Speed of first truck, $u_1=4\ m/s$

Mass of second truck, $m_2=1500\ kg$

Speed of second truck, $u_2=2\ m/s$

Combined mass of both trucks, $m=1500+500=2000\ kg$

Let $v$ be the Combined velocity of both the trucks.

According to the law of conservation of momentum

$m_1u_1+m_2u_2=mv$

Or $500\times4+1500\times2=2000\times v$

Or $2000+3000=2000v$

Or $v=\frac{5000}{2000}$

Or $v=2.5\ m/s$

Therefore, the combined velocity of both trucks just after the collision is $2.5\ m/s$.

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Updated on: 10-Oct-2022

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