Suppose a small compact car with a mass of 1000 kg is traveling north on Morewood Avenue at a speed of 15 m/s. At the intersection of Morewood and Fifth Avenues, it collides with a truck with a mass of 2000 kg that is traveling east on Fifth Avenue at 10 m/s. Treating each vehicle as a particle, find the total momentum (magnitude and direction) just before the collision.

Explanation:

We are expected to solve for the total momentum before collision

the expression for momentum is given as

p = mv

p =momentum

m=mass

v=velocity

For small compact truck

m1=1000kg

v1=15m/s

For small truck

m1=2000kg

v1=10m/s

the total momentum can also be expressed as

Ptotal=m1v1+m2v2

Ptotal=1000*15+2000*10

Ptotal=15000+20000

Ptotal=35000kg•m/s

The direction is east because the momentum of the truck is more than the car

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