Elastic collisions Definition and 117 Threads

Hi, I'm wondering if I'm forgetting some key point about elastic collisions from my basic mechanics. If you don't want to read my lengthy solution, just read the problem statement and then answer the following: can this problem be solved essentially at a glance, without the lengthy algebra I...

In a nuclear reactor, neutrons released by nuclear fission must be slowed down before they can trigger additional reactions in other nuclei. To see what sort of material is most effective in slowing (or moderating) a neutron, calculate the ratio of a neutron's final kinetic energy to its initial...

Here's the problem: "Two steel balls are suspended on (massless) wires so that their centers align. One ball, with mass 2.30 kg, is pulled up and to the side so that it is 0.0110 m above its original position. Then it is released and strikes the other ball in an elastic collision. If the...

A 56g steel ball is released from rest and falls vertically onto a steel plate. The ball strikes the plate and is in contact with it for .5ms. The ball rebounds elastically, and returns to its original height. The time interval for a round trip is 8.00s. In this situation, the average force...

Impulse 1) A gold ball of mass 0.045 kg is hit off the tee at a speed of 45 m/s. The golf club was in contact with the ball for 3.5 x 10^-3 s. Find (a) the impulse imparted to the golf ball and (b) The average force exerted on the ball by the golf club. Answer: (a) 2.0 kg(m/s) (b) 15.8 x 10^2...

Two particles of masses M and 3M are moving towards each other along the +x and -x directions with the same initial speed 3.29 m/s. They undergo a 'head-on' elastic collision and each rebounds along the same line as it approached. What is the final speed of the particle of mass M in m/s? so i...

Hey hey!:biggrin: A 10g object moving to the right with a speed of 20cm/s makes an elastic head-on collision with a 15g object moving in the opposite direction with a speed of 30cm/s. Find the velocity of each object after the collision. So I have to come up with two equations and solve for...

I have a problem in which two objects collide (elastic) in two dimensions. I am given the vectorial components of the initial velocities of each object as well as their masses, which are different. I also know the final velocity of the smaller object, which is 0 (it comes to rest after the...

I am try to write a program with 3D spheres of different masses, radius, velocities and angles. Then use three dimensional elastic collision equations to find the spheres new velocities and angles. The problem is that i can't find any information or equations on 3D elastic collisions, only 1D...

An atom of mass m moving in the x direction with speed v collides elastically with an atom of mass 3m at rest. After the collision the first atom moves in the y direction. Find the direction of motion of the second atom and speed of both atoms (in terms of v) after the collision? Ans: mass m...

Suppose that a particle of mass m1 approaches a stationary mass m2 and that m2 > m1. a) Describe the velocity of m2 after an elastic collision--that is, one in which both momentum and kinetic energy are conserved. Justify the answer mathematically. b) What is the approximate momentum of m1...

Some people argue that a non-viscous gas could not result in a drag for moving objects because the kinetic energy could not be dissipated to the gas. However, this view neglects the fact that even if the gas molecules do not interact with each other (i.e. if the gas is inviscid), they still...

A proton is traveling to the right at 2.0E7 m/s. It has a head-on perfectly elastic collision with a carbon atom. The mass of the carbon atom is 12 times the mass of the proton. What are the speeds of each after the collision? i was trying to tinker with the fact that the KE before and after...

Currently I'm stuck on this problem: A pair of bumper cars at an amusement park ride collide elastically as one approaches the other directly from the rear. One has a mass of 450 kg and the other 550 kg. If the lighter one approaches at 4.5 m/s and the other is moving at 3.7 m/s, calculate...

An object collides elastically (perfectly) with another object (identical object) at rest. If it is not a head on collision how can i PROVE that the angle between them afterwards is 90 degrees? :confused: :bugeye: I have NO IDEA on what to do...it's been puzzling me and my friends for a...

A glider of mass 0.156kg is moving to the right on a frictionless, horizontal air track with a speed of 0.9m/s . It has a head-on collision with a glider 0.293kg that is moving to the left with a speed of 2.25m/s . Suppose the collision is elastic. We've haven't covered elastic collisions...

In the rather basic physics class I'm in we just coverd conservation of momentum. We went over the application of this with elastic collisions. I understand that Total momentum before the collision = Total momentum afterwards. What I don't uderstand is how can you tell what the individual...