Calculating Direction and Speed Change in a Peregrine Falcon and Raven Collision

In summary, peregrine falcons use a unique defense mechanism to protect their young in the nest. By flying into birds of prey, such as ravens, at high speeds, they are able to startle and deter potential predators. In one instance, a 600g falcon flying at 20.0m/s hit a 1.40kg raven flying at 8.0m/s, causing the falcon to bounce back at 5.0m/s. In order to determine the angle at which the falcon changed the raven's direction of motion, the conservation of momentum equations can be used to find the raven's velocity vector after the collision. This approach is more effective than using the individual
  • #1
Legerity
19
0

Homework Statement



To protect their young in the nest, peregrine falcons will fly into birds of prey (such as ravens) at high speed. In one such episode, a 600g falcon flying at 20.0m/s hit a 1.40kg raven flying at 8.0m/s. The falcon hit the raven at right angles to its original path and bounced back at 5.0m/s. By what angle did the falcon change the raven's direction of motion? What was the raven's speed right after the collision?

Homework Equations


ΔP, arctan(P_y/P_x)

The Attempt at a Solution


I tried to find each individual momentum vector for the raven and falcon, then did arctan(P_fal/P_rav) to get the direction of the motion, but my answer of 47° turned out to be incorrect. Could someone please guide me on how to work out both of these problems?
 
Physics news on Phys.org
  • #2
Remember, the momentum of the falcon is not going to come into play when finding the direction of motion of the raven. Why don't we find the x and y components of the raven's final momentum and go from there?
 
  • #3
Legerity said:
I tried to find each individual momentum vector for the raven and falcon, then did arctan(P_fal/P_rav) to get the direction of the motion,
That doesn't compute the direction of anything interesting as far as I can see.
Please post all your working:
- the momentum vectors for the two birds before collision
- the conservation of momentum equations
- the raven's velocity vector after collision
(Btw, the problem composer is clearly no ornithologist!)
 

FAQ: Calculating Direction and Speed Change in a Peregrine Falcon and Raven Collision

What is the difference between speed and velocity?

Speed refers to the rate at which an object moves, while velocity also takes into account the direction of the movement. In other words, velocity is a vector quantity that includes both magnitude (speed) and direction.

How is speed calculated?

Speed is calculated by dividing the distance traveled by the time it took to travel that distance. It is typically measured in units such as meters per second, miles per hour, or kilometers per hour.

What factors affect the speed of an object?

The speed of an object can be affected by various factors such as the force applied, the mass of the object, and the nature of the surface it is moving on. Other factors like air resistance and friction can also impact the speed of an object.

What is the difference between average speed and instantaneous speed?

Average speed is the overall rate of motion of an object over a period of time, while instantaneous speed refers to the speed of an object at a specific moment in time. Instantaneous speed is often calculated by finding the slope of the tangent line on a position-time graph.

How is the direction of motion determined?

The direction of motion is determined by the angle at which an object is moving in relation to a reference point. It can also be described using cardinal directions (north, south, east, west) or in terms of degrees on a compass.

Back
Top