Two identical carts travel at the same speed toward each other, and then a collision occurs. The graphs show the momentum of each cart as a function of time, both before and after the collision. Which graph shows a perfectly inelastic collision?

Question

Revolt · Accepted Answer

Image with description A graph with momentum on the y axis measured in kilogram meters per second and time on the x axis measured in seconds. There are no values on the axes. There are two curves on the graph. The first starts above the x axis and is horizontal before curving downward to the x axis labeled 2 m cart. The second curve starts below the axis, the same distance below as the first one was above, and is horizontal before curving upward toward the x axis at the same time and labeled m cart. Where they meet is labeled Collision. Both curves meet at the x axis at the same time and are both on the x axis for a time period labeled Combined carts.

Pretest

Two identical carts travel at the same speed toward each other, and then a collision occurs. The graphs show the momentum of each cart as a function of time, both before and after the collision. Which graph shows a perfectly inelastic collision?

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