Question

A ball, m1 = 0.1 kg, having initial velocity v1i = 0.5 m/s hits a stationary ball in a glancing collision. After the collision the balls have final speeds v1f = 0.4 m/s and v2f = 0.2 m/s and ball 1 bounces back at an angle of 110 degrees relative to its incident trajectory.

a) Sketch diagrams of the balls before and after the collision. Include a co-ordinate system and label all relevant angles and velocities.

b) Write down algebraic expressions for the total initial momentum and total final momentum along the x and y axes (using the co-ordinate system defined in a) in terms of the mass and velocity (magnitude and angle) of each ball

c)Determine the mass of ball 2, m2, and the angle between the final trajectories, theta, of the two balls after the collision

Answer 1