Two particles, A and B, are moving directly towards each other on a straight line with speeds of 6 m/s and 8 m/s respectively. The mass of A is 3 kg, and the mass of B is 2 kg. They collide to form a single particle of speed "v" m/s. Find v.

The student should apply their knowledge of conservation of momentum. Also, I would always encourage the student to draw a diagram for all mechanics questions as it helps visualise the problem.total change in momentum = 0 (or total momentum before impact is equal to total momentum after impact)momentum = mass x velocitytherefore: (6 x 3) + (-8 x 2 ) = 5v 18 - 16 = 5v v = 0.4 m/sA key place where students would typically make a mistake is calculating with 8 instead of -8. This error would be made obvious with the use of a simple diagram.