Shira S
Dec 19, 2016, 10:35 AM
Question:
A bus of mass 1400kg that is traveling West, collides with a small truck of mass 900kg that is traveling North. As a result of the collision, the two trucks join together. A cop determines from the skid marks that the immediately following the collision the joint trucks moved at 12m/s in the direction 37 degrees west of north. Calculate the initial velocity of both trucks.
Attempted Solution:
I started by setting up two equations: one for the x component and one for the y component.
x: m1v1x + m2v2x = (m1+m2)ux --> (1400)(v1x) + (900)(v2x) = (1400+900)(12cos37)
y: m1v1y + m2v2y = (m1+m2)uy --> (1400)(v1y) + (900)(v2y) = (1400+900)(12sin37)
Now I'm stuck. I have two equations with four variables.. Where do I go from here?
(Note: I know that the answer is 11.9m/s and 24.5m/s, but can't figure out how to get there)
A bus of mass 1400kg that is traveling West, collides with a small truck of mass 900kg that is traveling North. As a result of the collision, the two trucks join together. A cop determines from the skid marks that the immediately following the collision the joint trucks moved at 12m/s in the direction 37 degrees west of north. Calculate the initial velocity of both trucks.
Attempted Solution:
I started by setting up two equations: one for the x component and one for the y component.
x: m1v1x + m2v2x = (m1+m2)ux --> (1400)(v1x) + (900)(v2x) = (1400+900)(12cos37)
y: m1v1y + m2v2y = (m1+m2)uy --> (1400)(v1y) + (900)(v2y) = (1400+900)(12sin37)
Now I'm stuck. I have two equations with four variables.. Where do I go from here?
(Note: I know that the answer is 11.9m/s and 24.5m/s, but can't figure out how to get there)