A projectile weighing 100 kg flies at a speed of 100 m / s

A projectile weighing 100 kg flies at a speed of 100 m / s horizontally, hits a stationary cart weighing 400 kg and gets stuck in it. How fast will the cart move after interaction?

To find the speed of the trolley after interacting with the projectile, we apply the law of conservation of momentum: V * (mt + mc) = mc * Vc, whence we express: V = mc * Vc / (mt + mc).

Values of the variables: mt – bogie weight (mt = 400 kg); mс is the mass of the projectile (mс = 100 kg); Vс – speed of the projectile before hitting a stationary cart (Vс = 100 m / s).

Let’s calculate: V = mc * Vc / (mt + mc) = 100 * 100 / (400 + 100) = 20 m / s.

Answer: The cart should start moving at a speed of 20 m / s.