2. in a warehouse, the workers sometimes slide boxes along the floor to move them. two boxes were sliding…

2. in a warehouse, the workers sometimes slide boxes along the floor to move them. two boxes were sliding toward each other and crashed. the crash caused both boxes to change speed. based on the information in the diagram, which statement is correct? in your answer, explain what the forces were like and why the boxes changed speed.\n\n● box 1 has more mass than box 2.\n\n● box 1 and box 2 are the same mass.\n\n● box 1 has less mass than box 2.

2. in a warehouse, the workers sometimes slide boxes along the floor to move them. two boxes were sliding toward each other and crashed. the crash caused both boxes to change speed. based on the information in the diagram, which statement is correct? in your answer, explain what the forces were like and why the boxes changed speed.\n\n● box 1 has more mass than box 2.\n\n● box 1 and box 2 are the same mass.\n\n● box 1 has less mass than box 2.

Answer

Answer: Box 1 has less mass than Box 2.

Explanation:

Step1: Recall Newton's third - law

In a collision, the forces on the two boxes are equal in magnitude and opposite in direction according to Newton's third - law ($F_{12}=-F_{21}$).

Step2: Recall Newton's second - law

Newton's second - law is $F = ma$, where $F$ is force, $m$ is mass and $a$ is acceleration. Acceleration is the change in velocity over time. Here, we can consider the change in speed as a measure of acceleration effects.

Step3: Analyze the change in speed

Box 1 changed its speed by 6 km/hr and Box 2 changed its speed by 7 km/hr. Since $F = ma$ and $F_{12}=-F_{21}$ (equal forces), the box with the greater change in speed has the smaller mass. So Box 1 has less mass than Box 2.