Two dogs,Rover and Fido,run on a level frictionless surface.Rover runs eastward with a momentum of 24 kg .m/s,and Fido runs northward with momentum 10 kg .m/s.They make a sudden perfectly inelastic collision.What is the magnitude of their combined momentum after the collision?
A)14 kg .m/s
B)26 kg .m/s
C)34 kg .m/s
D)It cannot be determined without knowing the masses and velocities of the dogs.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

In a perfectly inelastic collision, the total momentum before the collision is equal to the total momentum after the collision. Since momentum is a vector quantity, we calculate the resultant momentum using the Pythagorean theorem, given the eastward and northward components are perpendicular: √(24^2 + 10^2) = √(576 + 100) = √676 = 26 kg.m/s.

Two Dogs,Rover and Fido,run on a Level Frictionless Surface