Question

A puck of mass 0.70 kg approaches a second, identical puck that is stationary on frictionless ice. The initial speed of the moving puck is 6.0 m/s. After the collision, one puck leaves with a speed v1 at 30° to the original line of motion. The second puck leaves with speed v2 at 60°. Calculate v1 and v2.

Answer 1

Answer:

• $v_1 = \ 5.196 \frac{m}{s}$

• $v_2 = 3 \frac{m}{s}$

Explanation:

For this problem, we just need to remember conservation of momentum, as there are no external forces in the horizontal direction:

$\vec{p}_i = \vec{p}_f$

where the suffix i  means initial, and the suffix f means final.

The initial momentum will be:

$\vec{p}_i = m_1 \ \vec{v}_{1_i} + m_2 \ \vec{v}_{2_i}$

as the second puck is initially at rest:

$\vec{v}_{2_i} = 0$

Using the unit vector $\vec{i}$ pointing in the original line of motion:

$\vec{v}_{1_i} = 6.0 \frac{m}{s} \hat{i}$

$\vec{p}_i = 0.70 \ kg \ 6.0 \frac{m}{s} \ \hat{i} + 0.70 \ kg \ 0$

$\vec{p}_i = 4.2 \ \frac{kg \ m}{s} \ \hat{i}$

So:

$\vec{p}_i = 4.2 \ \frac{kg \ m}{s} \ \hat{i} = \vec{p}_f$

$\vec{p}_f = 4.2 \ \frac{kg \ m}{s} \ \hat{i}$

Knowing the magnitude and directions relative to the x axis, we can find Cartesian representation of the vectors using the formula

$\ \vec{A} = | \vec{A} | \ ( \ cos(\theta) \ , \ sin (\theta) \ )$

So, our velocity vectors will be:

$\vec{v}_{1_f} = v_1 \ ( \ cos(30 \°) \ , \ sin (30 \°) \ )$

$\vec{v}_{2_f} = v_2 \ ( \ cos(-60 \°) \ , \ sin (-60 \°) \ )$

We got

$\vec{p}_f = 0.7 \ kg \ \vec{v}_{1_f} + 0.7 \ kg \ \vec{v}_{2_f}$

$4.2 \ \frac{kg \ m}{s} \ \hat{i} = 0.7 \ kg \ v_1 \ ( \ cos(30 \°) \ , \ sin (30 \°) \ ) + 0.7 \ kg \ v_2 \ ( \ cos(-60 \°) \ , \ sin (-60 \°) \ )$

So, we got the equations:

$4.2 \ \frac{kg \ m}{s} = 0.7 \ kg \ v_1 \ cos(30 \°) + 0.7 \ kg \ v_2 \ cos(-60 \°)$

and

$0 = 0.7 \ kg \ v_1 \ sin(30 \°) + 0.7 \ kg \ v_2 \ sin(-60 \°)$.

From the last one, we get:

$0 = 0.7 \ kg \ ( v_1 \ sin(30 \°) + \ v_2 \ sin(-60 \°) )$

$0 = v_1 \ sin(30 \°) + \ v_2 \ sin(-60 \°)$

$v_1 \ sin(30 \°) = - \ v_2 \ sin(-60 \°)$

$v_1 = \ v_2 \ \frac{sin(60 \°)}{ sin(30 \°) }$

and, for the first one:

$4.2 \ \frac{kg \ m}{s} = 0.7 \ kg \ ( v_1 \ cos(30 \°) + v_2 \ cos(60 \°) )$

$\frac{4.2 \ \frac{kg \ m}{s}}{ 0.7 \ kg} = v_1 \ cos(30 \°) + v_2 \ cos(60 \°)$

$\frac{4.2 \ \frac{kg \ m}{s}}{ 0.7 \ kg} = v_1 \ cos(30 \°) + v_2 \ cos(60 \°)$

$6 \ \frac{m}{s} = (\ v_2 \ \frac{sin(60 \°)}{ sin(30 \°) } ) \ cos(30 \°) + v_2 \ cos(60 \°)$

$6 \ \frac{m}{s} = v_2 (\ \frac{sin(60 \°)}{ sin(30 \°) } ) \ cos(30 \°) + cos(60 \°)$

$6 \ \frac{m}{s} = v_2 * 2$

so:

$v_2 = 6 \ \frac{m}{s} / 2 = 3 \frac{m}{s}$

and

$v_1 = \ 3 \frac{m}{s} \ \frac{sin(60 \°)}{ sin(30 \°) }$

$v_1 = \ 5.196 \frac{m}{s}$