Assignment:
You have 2 gliders, a big (subscript b) one with mass mb = 320 grams, and a small (subscript s) one with mass ms = 70 grams. Both gliders are free to move on a horizontal air track on which friction is negligible. Assume that the collisions below are perfectly inelastic because the gliders stick together when they collide. Use conservation of momentum of the system (small glider + big glider) to determine the answers you must enter (with proper SI units).
1. The big glider with an incident velocity of 2.6 m/s collides with the small glider that is initially at rest. The final velocity of the two gliders stuck together is Vf1 = ?
2. The small glider with the same incident velocity of 2.6 m/s collides the big glider that is initially at rest. The final velocity of the two gliders stuck together is Vf2 = ?