A car and a truck are both travelling at the speed limit of 60 km/h but in opposite directions. The truck has twice the mass of the car. The vehicles collide head-on and become entangled together.
(a) During the collision, find how does the force exerted by the car on truck compare with the force exerted by the truck on the car? Explain.
(b) Find in what direction will the entangled vehicles move after collision, or will they be stationary?
(c) Calculate the speed of the combined wreck immediately after the collision.
(d) Determine how does the acceleration of the car compare with the acceleration of the truck during the collision?
(e) Both the car and truck drivers are wearing seat belts. Determine which driver is likely to be more severely jolted in the collision?
(f) The total kinetic energy of the system decreases as a result of the collision.