Question

For a system of three particles moving along a line, an observer in a laboratory measures the following masses and velocities. What is the velocity of the CM of the system? Enter a positive value if the velocity of the CM of the system is in the +x direction and enter a negative value if the velocity of the CM of the system is in the –x direction.

Answer 1

The formula for the velocity of CM of the system is given as

$v_{CM}=\frac{m_1v_{x1}+m_2v_{x2}+m_3v_{x3}}{(m_1+m_2+m_3)}$

Substitute the known values in the above expression as

$\begin{gathered} v_{CM}=\frac{(3.50)(260)+(5.0)(-120)+(2.0)(52)}{(3.50+5.0+2.0)} \\ =+39.42\text{ m/s} \end{gathered}$