A 1530 kg car moving south at 12.1 m/s collides with a 2560 kg car moving north. The cars stick together and move as a unit after the collision at a velocity of 5.48 m/s to the north. Find the velocity of the 2560 kg car before the collision. Assume that North is positive. Answer in units of m/s.

16 m/s north

Explanation:

According to the law of momentum conservation, total momentum before and after must be the same

Total momentum after the collision as both cars stick together as 1 unit traveling at speed of 5.48m/s to the north

(m + M)V = (1530 + 2560)*5.48 = 22413 kgm/s

So the total momentum before must also be 22413, which is made of

north

we need to know the time interval during which the force acts. impulse of force = momentum change

we're given that v₀ = 0 and a = 5.4 m/s². therefore, since v = at + v₀ for constant acceleration the equation for velocity is

after 28s,

m/s

which i would round to 150 m/s as my final answer