Question

Two gliders collide head-on. In this case the bumpers work very well and the collision is elastic. Initially the heavy glider has a speed of 2.5 m/s and the light glider a speed of 1.8 m/s. The heavy glider’s mass is 0.300 kg and the light glider’s mass is 0.200 kg. You may treat the light glider as going in the +x direction initially and the heavy glider going in the –x direction. What is the velocity of the light glider after the collision?

Answer 1

Mass of the light glider = m₁ = 0.2 kg

Mass of the heavy glider = m₂ = 0.3 kg

Initial velocity of the light glider = V₁ = 1.8 m/s

Initial velocity of the heavy glider = V₂ = -2.5 m/s (Negative as it is moving in the negative X-direction)

Velocity of the light glider after the collision = V₃

Velocity of the heavy glider after the collision = V₄

The collision is elastic.

Coefficient of restitution = e = 1

By conservation of linear momentum,

V₃ = -3.36 m/s

The negative sign indicates it is moving along the negative X-direction.

Velocity of the light glider after the collision = -3.36 m/s