One car has two and a half times the mass of a second car, but only half as much kinetic energy. When both cars increase their speed by 9.0 m/s, they then have the same kinetic energy. What were the original speeds of the two cars

Respuesta :

Answer:

[tex]v_1 = 7.96 m/s[/tex]

[tex]v_2 = 17.8 m/s[/tex]

Explanation:

Let the mass of the other car is "m" and its kinetic energy is

[tex]K = \frac{1}{2}mv^2[/tex]

now the mass of the first car is two and half times and its kinetic energy is half that of other car

so we will have

[tex]\frac{1}{2}(2.5m)v_1^2 = \frac{1}{2}(\frac{1}{2}mv^2)[/tex]

[tex]2.5 v_1^2 = 0.5 v^2[/tex]

[tex]v_1 = 0.447 v[/tex]

now speed of both cars is increased by value of 9 m/s

so now we will have same kinetic energy for both cars

[tex]\frac{1}{2}(2.5 m)(0.447v + 9)^2 = \frac{1}{2}m(v + 9)^2[/tex]

[tex]2.5(0.447 v + 9)^2 = (v + 9)^2[/tex]

[tex]1.58(0.447v + 9) = v + 9[/tex]

[tex]0.293v = 5.22[/tex]

[tex]v = 17.8 m/s[/tex]

so speed of first car is

[tex]v_1 = 0.447 v = 7.96 m/s[/tex]

[tex]v_2 = 17.8 m/s[/tex]