A cart of mass moving on a frictionless rail collides perfectly elastically and…
PHYSICS · Single correct · CBSE · Physics · Work, Energy and Power · Work, Energy and Power
Problem
A cart of mass m moving on a frictionless rail collides perfectly elastically and head-on with an identical cart that is initially at rest. Which one of the following statements about their kinetic energies immediately after the impact is correct?
(a) Both carts share the initial kinetic energy equally.
(b) The moving cart transfers only half of its kinetic energy to the stationary cart and continues with the other half.
(c) The initially stationary cart acquires all the kinetic energy that the moving cart had before collision.
(d) The carts rebound in opposite directions with equal speeds, so the total kinetic energy remains the same.