Two carts, moving at opposite directions, collide and recoil. Which question would help determine if the system of two carts is
open or closed? A) Do the carts have the same mass? B) Do the carts have different initial velocities? ) Is energy transferred from one cart to the other? D) Is the total momentum constant before and after the collision?
Given there are three blocks of masses , and (ref image in attachment)
When all three masses move together at an acceleration a, the force F is given by
F = ( + + ) *a ................(equation 1)
Also it is given that does not move with respect to , which gives tension T is exerted on pulley by only, Hence tension T is
T = *a ..........(equation 2)
There is also also tension exerted by . There are two components here: horizontal due to acceleration a and vertical component due to gravity g. Thus tension is given by
T = ................(equation 3)
From equation 2 and 3, we get
*a =
Squaring both sides we get
* = * (+)
* = ( * )+ ( *)
( - ) * = *
= */( - )
Taking square root on both sides, we get acceleration a
a = *g/()
Hence substituting the value of a in equation 1, we get