Two ice pucks slide towards each other on a frictionless straight line
PHYSICS · Multi-part · AP · Physics 1: Algebra-based · Linear Momentum · Linear Momentum
Problem
Two ice pucks slide towards each other on a frictionless straight line. Puck A has mass 0.20 kg and velocity 4.0 m/s to the right, while puck B has mass 0.30 kg and velocity 2.0 m/s to the left. They collide head-on and the collision is perfectly elastic.
(i) Find the velocity (magnitude and direction) of each puck just after the collision.
(ii) Verify by calculation that the relative speed of separation equals the relative speed of approach for this collision.
(iii) Comment on whether either puck reverses its direction of motion and give a brief reason based on your results.