Understanding Momentum

* Momentum is a measure of an object's mass in motion. It's calculated by:

* Momentum (p) = mass (m) * velocity (v)

Conservation of Momentum

* In an isolated system (no external forces), the total momentum before a collision is equal to the total momentum after the collision.

Calculations

1. Momentum of Car 2 before collision:

* p2 = m2 * v2 = 1500 kg * 5 m/s = 7500 kg*m/s

2. Momentum of Car 1 before collision:

* p1 = m1 * v1 = 1500 kg * 0 m/s = 0 kg*m/s

3. Total momentum before collision:

* p_total_before = p1 + p2 = 0 kg*m/s + 7500 kg*m/s = 7500 kg*m/s

4. Total momentum after collision:

* Since momentum is conserved, the total momentum after the collision is also 7500 kg*m/s.

Answer: The combined momentum of the two cars after the collision is 7500 kg*m/s.