High School

What is the velocity (in m/s) of a 920 kg car, initially moving at 26.5 m/s, just after it hits a 145 kg deer?

Answer :

Main Answer:

The velocity of the car just after it hits the deer can be calculated using the principle of conservation of momentum. The final velocity of the car, after the collision, is approximately 21.6 m/s.

Explanation:

The question involves the conservation of momentum, which states that in a closed system, the total momentum before a collision is equal to the total momentum after the collision. This principle allows us to calculate the final velocity of the car after it hits the deer.

Let's denote the initial velocity of the car as \(v_{\text{car\_initial}}\), the mass of the car as \(m_{\text{car}}\), the initial velocity of the deer as \(v_{\text{deer\_initial}}\), and the mass of the deer as \(m_{\text{deer}}\).

According to the conservation of momentum, \(m_{\text{car}} \cdot v_{\text{car\_initial}} + m_{\text{deer}} \cdot v_{\text{deer\_initial}} = (m_{\text{car}} + m_{\text{deer}}) \cdot v_{\text{final}}\).

Plugging in the given values, \(920 \, \text{kg} \cdot 26.5 \, \text{m/s} + 145 \, \text{kg} \cdot 0 \, \text{m/s} = (920 \, \text{kg} + 145 \, \text{kg}) \cdot v_{\text{final}}\).

Solving for \(v_{\text{final}}\), we get \(v_{\text{final}} \approx 21.6 \, \text{m/s}\).

Understanding the principles of momentum and how to apply them in collision scenarios is crucial in physics and engineering. It helps in analyzing the outcomes of such events and determining the final velocities of objects involved.

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