Two blocks of clay slide on a level, frictionless plane. block a, having a mass of 2.00 kg and traveling due south, collides with block b, having a mass of 3.00 kg and traveling 25.0 degrees west of due north. they stick together after the collision, and the resulting blob travels with a final speed of 9.89 m/s in a direction 39.9 degrees west of due north. calculate the initial speeds of blocks a and b.

-15.03m/s

25.01 m/s

Explanation:

Using the conservation of the linear momentum:

So, for axis x:

where is the mass of the block A, is the velocity in x of the block A, is the mass of the block B, is the velocity in x of the block B, the mass of the block A and B together and the velocity in x of both blocks after the collition.

Replacing values:

Solving for :

25.01 m/s

At the same way, for axis y:

where is the mass of the block A, is the velocity in y of the block A, is the mass of the block B, is the velocity in y of the block B, the mass of the block A and B together and the velocity in y of both blocks after the collition.

solving for :

-15.03m/s

it is negative because we set the north as positive.