A spring is attached to a cart on an air track. With the spring compressed and locked, the cart is brought into contact with another cart. When the spring is released, the carts travel as shown in the animation (position is in meters and time is in seconds).
What is the velocity of the center of mass of the two carts after the spring is released. Start
This must be understood as a closed system. By how much does the momentum of the system then change? How much does it have as the animation begins?
See Giancoli-PA: 7-4, Giancoli-SE: 9-4.
Physlet problem authored by Aaron Titus.