Two identical gliders on an air track are held together by a piece of string, compressing a spring between the gliders. While they are moving to the right at a common speed of 0.325 m/s, someone holds a match under the string and burns it, letting the spring force the gliders apart. One glider is then observed to be moving to the right at 1.33 m/s. What velocity does the other glider have

Question

Sheldon Graham

Physics

7 January, 08:51

Two identical gliders on an air track are held together by a piece of string, compressing a spring between the gliders. While they are moving to the right at a common speed of 0.325 m/s, someone holds a match under the string and burns it, letting the spring force the gliders apart. One glider is then observed to be moving to the right at 1.33 m/s. What velocity does the other glider have

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Jazlene Burton · Answer 1

Both the gliders have same mass and same speed of. 325 m / s.

The detachment of spring will create equal and opposite force on both of them, one force adding momentum to one and the other force reducing the momentum of the other. Since mass of both the gliders are same, change in velocity too will be same. Let change in velocity be v.

for forward moving glider

.325 + v = 1.33

v = 1.005 m / s

The other glider will have final velocity

=.325 - 1.005

= -.68 m / s

So other glider will go in opposite direction with velocity of. 68 m / s.