Two cars are moving. The first car has twice the mass of the second car but only half as much kinetic energy. When both cars increase their speed by 2.76 m/s, they then have the same kinetic energy. Calculate the original speeds of the two cars.

Let m be the mass of the second car, so the first car's mass is 2m.

Let K be the kinetic energy of the second car, so the first car's kinetic energy would be K/2.

Let u and v be the speeds of the first car and the second car, respectively. At the start,

• the first car has kinetic energy

K/2 = 1/2 (2m) u ² = mu ²   ==>   K = 2mu ²

• the second car starts with kinetic energy

K = 1/2 mv ²

It follows that

2mu ² = 1/2 mv ²

==>   4u ² = v ²

When their speeds are both increased by 2.76 m/s,

• the first car now has kinetic energy

1/2 (2m) (u + 2.76 m/s)² = m (u + 2.76 m/s)²

• the second car now has kinetic energy

1/2 m (v + 2.76 m/s)²

These two kinetic energies are equal, so

m (u + 2.76 m/s)² = 1/2 m (v + 2.76 m/s)²

==>   2 (u + 2.76 m/s)² = (v + 2.76 m/s)²

Solving the equations in bold gives u ≈ 1.95 m/s and v ≈ 3.90 m/s.

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