Answer: Graph C is the correct option
Explanation:
The question is incomplete, please remember to submit the whole question :)
However, the rest of the question with its corresponding figures is below:
Assume that positive momentum is to the right, which of the following best represents the momentum of the cart of mass m as a function of time before and after the collision?
The initial momentum [tex]p_{o}[/tex] of the cart with mass [tex]m[/tex] (before the collision) is:
[tex]p_{o}=-mV[/tex] (1) Note the negative sign indicates the direction of cart's velocity (to the left, as seen in the first image attached)
On the other hand, the final momentum [tex]p_{f}[/tex] of both carts (after the inelastic collision) is:
[tex]p_{f}=(2m+m) V_{f}=3m V_{f}[/tex] (2)
So, according to this, the correct graph tha best represents the situation is C. Since before the collision the momentum is negative, then both carts slow down after the collision ([tex]V_{f}<V[/tex]), and taking into account the linear momentum is directly proportional to the velocity [tex]p_{f}[/tex] (although is in the positive direction) is less than [tex]p_{o}[/tex].
