A small block (ms = 4 kg) and a large blcok (ml = 12 kg) experience a head-on co

Question

A small block (ms = 4 kg) and a large blcok (ml = 12 kg) experience a head-on collision on a frictionless tabletop. Before the collision, the small block was moving 8 m/s to the right and the large block was moving at 4 m/s to the left.

a. If the small block bounces back from the collision with a velocity 3 m/s to the left, find the final velocity (magnitude and direction) of the large block.

b. Suppose instead that the two blocks stick together when they collide. Now what will the final velocity of the two stuck-together blocks be?

c. How many joules of energy would be lost in the collision?

Explanation / Answer

a) (m1u1+m2u2)before collision= (m1v1+m2v2) afer collision

(4*8-12*4)=(4*v1-12*3)

v1 = 5mts/sec to the right

b) if two stick after collision

(m1u1+m2u2)before collision= (m1+m2)*v afer collision

A perfectly elastic collision is defined as one in which there is no loss of kinetic energy in the collision.

(4*8-12*4)=(4+12)*v

v=1 mts/sec to the left

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