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11. Momentum & Impulse - Part 2 of 3
11. Momentum & Impulse / Completely Inelastic Collisions / Problem 6

Bumper technology in vehicles is designed to absorb and store kinetic energy in case of a collision, then release it to the vehicles as they separate. The efficiency of the technology decreases as collision speed increases. During a design analysis by a manufacturer, a car of mass 900 kg is headed east at 1.40 m/s when it collides with a car of mass 650 kg headed west at 1.20 m/s. Analysis of the after-collision period shows that the 900 kg Car is moving at 0.180 m/s in its original direction. What is the change in the overall kinetic energy of the two cars for the collision? Ignore friction.

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