A 1000-kg whale swims horizontally to the right at a speed of 6.0 m/s.It suddenly collides directly with a stationary seal of mass 200 kg.The seal grabs onto the whale and holds fast.What is the speed of these two sea creatures just after their collision? You can neglect any drag effects of the water during the collision.
A)0.00 m/s
B)3.0 m/s
C)4.0 m/s
D)5.0 m/s
E)6.0 m/s

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The total momentum before the collision is equal to the total momentum after the collision. Before the collision, the momentum is (1000 kg * 6.0 m/s) + (200 kg * 0 m/s) = 6000 kg*m/s. After the collision, the combined mass is 1200 kg. Let v be the final velocity. So, 1200 kg * v = 6000 kg*m/s, solving for v gives v = 5.0 m/s.

A 1000-Kg Whale Swims Horizontally to the Right at a Speed