n the railroad accident, a boxcar weighting 200 kN and traveling at 3 m/s on horizontal track slams into a stationary caboose weighting 400 kN. The collision connects the caboose to the car, and then both move together and you have found the final velocity. Apparently, initial kinetic energy of the system changes (in part, because of friction present). How much energy (in kJ) is transferred from kinetic energy to other forms of energy (e..g., thermal) in the collision
Question
Answer:
ΔK = -6 10⁴ J
Explanation:
This is a crash problem, let’s start by defining a system formed by the two trucks, so that the forces during the crash have been internal and the moment is preserved
initial instant. Before the crash
p₀ = m v₁ + M 0
final instant. Right after the crash
p_f = (m + M) v
p₀ = p_f
mv₁ = (m + M) v
v =
we substitute
v =
3
v = 1.0 m / s
having the initial and final velocities, let’s find the kinetic energy
K₀ = ½ m v₁² + 0
K₀ = ½ 20 10³ 3²
K₀ = 9 10⁴ J
K_f = ½ (m + M) v²
K_f = ½ (20 +40) 10³ 1²
K_f = 3 10⁴ J
the change in energy is
ΔK = K_f – K₀
ΔK = (3 – 9) 10⁴
ΔK = -6 10⁴ J
The negative sign indicates that the energy is ranked in another type of energy