Question

Four velcro-lined air-hockey disks collide with each other in a perfectly
inelastic collision. The first disk has a mass of 50.0 g and a velocity of
0.80 m/s to the west, the second disk has a mass of 60.0 g and a velocity of
2.50 m/s to the north, the third disk has a mass of 100.0 g and a velocity of
0.20 m/s to the east, and the fourth disk has a mass of 40.0 g and a
velocity of 0.50 m/s to the south. What is the final velocity of the disks
after the collision?

Answer 1

Answer:

The magnitude of the final velocity is approximately 0.526 m/s in approximately the direction of 8.746° East of South

Explanation:

The given collision parameters are;

The kind of collision experienced by the four velcro-lined air-hockey disk = Inelastic collision

The mass of the first disk, m₁ = 50.0 g

The velocity of the first disk, v₁ = 0.80 m/s West = -0.8·i

The mass of the second disk, m₂ = 60.0 g

The velocity of the second disk, v₂ = 2.50 m/s North = 2.5·j

The mass of the third disk, m₃ = 100.0 g

The velocity of the third disk, v₃ = 0.20 m/s East = 0.20·i

The mass of the fourth disk, m₄ = 40.0 g

The velocity of the fourth disk, v₄ = 0.50 m/s South = -0.50·j

Therefore, the total initial momentum of the four velcro-lined air-hockey disk, $\Sigma P_{initial}$ is given as follows;

$\Sigma P_{initial}$ = m₁·v₁ + m₂·v₂ + m₃·v₃ + m₄·v₄ = 50.0×(-0.80·i) + 60.0×(2.50·j) + 100 × (0.20·i) + 40.0 × (-0.50·j)

∴ $\Sigma P_{initial}$ = -40·i + 150·j + 20·i - 20·j = -20·i + 130·j

∴ $\Sigma P_{initial}$ = -20·i + 130·j

By the law of conservation of linear momentum, we have;

$\Sigma P_{initial} = \Sigma P _{final}$ = -20·i + 130·j

Therefore, given that the collision is perfectly inelastic, the disks move as one after the collision and the four masses are added to form one mass, "m", m = m₁ + m₂ + m₃ + m₄ = 50.0 + 60.0 + 100.0 + 40.0 = 250.0

∴ m = 250.0 g

Let, "v" represent the final velocity of the four disks moving as one after the collision

We have;

$\Sigma P _{final}$ = m × v = 250.0 × v = -20·i + 130·j

∴ v = -20·i/250 + 130·j/250 = -0.08·i + 0.52·j

The final velocity of the four disks after collision, v = -0.08·i + 0.52·j

The magnitude of the final velocity, $\left | v \right |$ = √((-0.08)² + (0.52)²) ≈ 0.526

$\left | v \right |$ ≈ 0.526 m/s

The direction of the final velocity, θ = arctan(0.52/(-0.08)) ≈ -81.254°

The direction of the final velocity, θ ≈ -81.254° which is 8.746° East of South