how far will it coast back up the ramp before changing directions? Collision derivation problem?

Question

If the car has a mass of 0.4 kg, the ratio of height to width of the ramp is 17/125, the initial displacement is 1.8 m, and the change in momentum is 1.4 kg*m/s, how far will it coast back up the ramp before changing directions?

Answer 1

Where did you get this question? It is not well worded; it's full of issues.

First, what do you mean by height/width ratio? Rise/run or angle is the usual terminolgy for the slope of ramps. I can rationalize height = rise, but what's your width?

Second, what is this initial displacement (of the car, of the ramp)? And what direction is said displacement...up, side ways (you do give a "width" which is usually sideways).

Finally, your "change in momentum" units are all wrong. Change in momentum over time is del P/ del t = del (mv)/ del t = m del v/del t whenever mass (e.g., your car) is constant. That means change in meomentum has kg-m/sec^2 units; not what you gave.

If this question came from a textbook, I suggest you resubmit it, word for word, and not try to paraphrase it.