Question

Two identical blocks, A and B, are on a horizontal surface, as shown above. There is negligible friction between the surface and the blocks. As shown in Figure 1, block A is initially moving toward block B with speed vA=v0 and block B is initially at rest. Figure 2 shows the blocks in contact as they collide a short time later. In both figures, the location of the center of mass of the two-block system is indicated by the X that is labeled CM.

During the time that the blocks are in contact, describe whether the center of mass of the two-block system is speeding up, slowing down, or staying the same. ____ Speeding up ____ Slowing down ____ Staying the same Briefly describe, in terms of a basic law of physics, whether the center of mass of the two-block system is speeding up,

Answer 1

Answer:

  the speed of the center of mass stays the same

Explanation:

In a system with no energy loss, momentum is conserved if the mass remains constant. The system described has no change in mass, and energy loss is considered negligible. Hence the product of the total mass and the velocity of its center will be a constant. The center of mass stays the same speed.

Answer 2

The center of mass of the two-block system will stay at the same speed, due to no net energy loss.

What is Center of mass?

Center of mass is a point in a system, where the entire mass is focused on. It generally represents the mean position of matter in a body or system.

In the given problem, the two-block system during their collision has some momentum change.

And the momentum of a system is equal to the product of the total mass of system M, and the velocity of center of mass v.

Then the expression is,          

$p = M \times v$        

Here, v is the velocity of center of mass.

In the given system, there is no energy loss and hence the momentum is conserved along with mass remaining constant.

The system described has no change in mass, and energy loss is considered negligible. Hence the product of the total mass and the velocity of its center will be a constant.

The center of mass stays the same speed.

Thus, we can conclude that the center of mass of the two-block system will stay at the same speed, due to no net energy loss.

Learn more about the Center of Mass here:

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