Peoples Physics Concepts

(Marvins-Underground-K-12) #1

7.3. Elastic Collisions http://www.ck12.org


Simulation


Note: move the elasticity meter to 100% for perfectly elastic collisions.

Collision Lab (PhET Simulation)

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  1. You are playing pool and you hit the cue ball with a speed of 2 m/s at the 8-ball (which is stationary). Assume
    an elastic collision and that both balls are the same mass. Find the speed and direction of both balls after the
    collision, assuming neither flies off at any angle.

  2. A 0.045 kg golf ball with a speed of 42.0 m/s collides elastically head-on with a 0.17 kg pool ball at rest. Find
    the speed and direction of both balls after the collision.

  3. BallAis traveling along a flat table with a speed of 5.0 m/s, as shown below. BallB, which has the same
    mass, is initially at rest, but is knocked off the table in an elastic collision with BallA. Find the horizontal
    distance that BallBtravels before hitting the floor.

  4. Students are doing an experiment on the lab table. A steel ball is rolled down a small ramp and allowed to hit
    the floor. Its impact point is carefully marked. Next a second ball of the same mass is put upon a set screw
    and a collision takes place such that both balls go off at an angle and hit the floor. All measurements are taken
    with a meter stick on the floor with a co-ordinate system such that just below the impact point is the origin.
    The following data is collected:

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