Acar with a mass of 1380 kg is traveling at 23 m/s to the north. a truck with a mass of 1625 kg is traveling at 26 m/s to the south. imagine that both of these vehicles crash into each other head-on and get stuck together. what will their velocity be immediately after the collision

-3.49 m/s (to the south)

Explanation:

This problem can be solved by the Conservation of Momentum principle which establishes the initial momentum must be equal to the final momentum , and taking into account this is aninelastic collision:

Before the collision:

(1)

After the collision:

(2)

Where:

is the mass of the car

is the velocity of the car, directed to the north

is the mass of the truck

is the velocity of the truck, directed to the south

is the final velocity of both the car and the truck

(3)

(4)

Isolating :

(5)

(6)

Finally:

The negative sign indicates the direction of the velocity is to the south

answer; (d) spontaneous processes are characterized by the overall conversion of order to disorder;