Question involving momentum in two carts before and after a collision...?

Question

Two carts collide on a track. Cart B is stationary to begin with. The two carts stick to each other on impact. Cart A is moving at 29.9 m/s just before the collision, and the two sticking together have a speed of 16.8 m/s right after impact.
Compute and record the momentum of both carts before the collision, and the momentum of the combination after the collision. Cart A has a mass of 628 g; cart B has a mass of 641 g.
Now, calculate the kinetic energy before, and after the collision.
Determine what percentage of the energy was lost in the collision.
Are you able to explain your answers? Good luck!

Answer 1

The given final speed doesn't seem to compute. I get 14.8 m/s.
Ma*Va + Mb*Vb = (Ma+Mb)*Vf
is the formula that applies to show conservation of momentum in a completely inelastic collision, which is what you have. The only explanation I could suspect is some cargo was spilled.

To continue the assignment - kinetic energy is given by
(1/2)*m*v^2
There is no requirement that all the original kinetic energy be measurable as kinetic energy after a completely inelastic collision. But you should be able to point to where the missing energy went. Some of the energy probably went into cart damage. Perhaps the cargo slid around.

Answer 2

One reason is that the carts are continually replacing momentum notwithstanding in the adventure that they don't collide. they replace momentum possibly because they are slowing down because of friction. Or they could be speeding up because of rolling down hill. Or they could be slowing down because the wheels hit bumps. yet an additional reason might want to be that once they collide, the wheels might want to be lined up contained in the incorrect route for the momentum to stay an same. second is speed and route. If the wheels at the instantaneous are not pointed contained in the right route for the cart to roll after the collision, then the wheels might want to be putting pressure adverse to the floor that would want to be like yet another collision - between the cart and the floor. So a number of the momentum might want to enter the floor. yet an additional reason is that something contained in the cart might want to drop off in the course of the collision. to really comprehend the momentum, you'll ought to count number something that drops off the cart.