Two 0.50 kg gliders move on a nearly frictionless linear air track
PHYSICS · Multi-part · AP · Physics 1: Algebra-based · Linear Momentum · Linear Momentum
Problem
Two 0.50 kg gliders move on a nearly frictionless linear air track. Glider 1 travels at +1.2m⋅s−1 toward stationary Glider 2. Immediately after they collide, the interaction is observed to conserve the total kinetic energy of the two-glider system.
(a) Determine the speed and direction of each glider after the collision.
(b) Compute the ratio of the system’s total kinetic energy after the collision to its total kinetic energy before the collision. Interpret the numerical value of this ratio in the context of the interaction.
(c) If the initial velocity of Glider 1 had been −1.2m⋅s−1 instead, how would your answers in part (a) change, if at all? Explain briefly.