Question

how to calculate momentum before collision?

Answer 1

If you have an object traveling right at 3 m/s that has a mass of 4 kg and an object traveling left at 5m/s that has a mass of 2 kg, then sum together your momenta.
\[(3m/s)(4kg)+(-5m/s)(2kg)=2kg*m/s\]

Answer 2

hmm idk about this stuff but yu can try googeling it ? sorry if i didint help:/ just making a suggestion

Answer 3

Could you also do that for after collision? :)

Answer 4

It depends if the collision is elastic or inelastic. You're typically trying find the velocity of one of the objects after the collision. If it is inelastic you add the masses because the masses stick together and form one larger mass, if it is elastic you solve for the velocities of each mass because they bounced off of each other.

Inelastic collision
Mass one moves right at a constant velocity of 8 m/s. Mass two moves left at a constant velocity of 2 m/s.
Mass 1 is 2 kg
Mass 2 is 3 kg
\[M_{1}V_{1} + M_{2}V_{2}=(M_1+M_{2})V'\]
where v' is the velocity after
\[(2)(8)-(2)(3)=10\]
\[10=(2+3)V'\]
\[10=5V\]
V'=2 m/s
Before

After