Answer:[tex]v_a=1.1 m/s[/tex]
k=17.32 N/m
Explanation:
Given
mass of cart A =500 gm
mass of cart B =1000 gm
Spring is compressed by a distance of 5.5 cm
B's recoil speed is 0.55 m/s
Conserving momentum
[tex]0+0=0.5\times v_a-1\times 0.55[/tex]
[tex]v_a=1.1 m/s[/tex]
Thus [tex]v_a[/tex] recoil speed is greater than B
Conserving Energy to get value of K
[tex]\frac{m_av^2_a}{2}+\frac{m_bv^2_b}{2}=\frac{kx^2}{2}[/tex]
[tex]\frac{0.5\times 1.1^2}{2}+\frac{1\times 0.55^2}{2}=\frac{k(0.055)^2}{2}[/tex]
k=17.32 N/m