Question

High-speed stroboscopic photographs show that the head of a 210-g golf club is traveling at 56 m/s just before it strikes a 46-g golf ball at rest on a tee. After the collision, the club head travels (in the same direction) at 42 m/s. Find the speed of the golf ball just after impact. m/s

Answer 1

Explanation:

It is given that,

Mass of golf club, m₁ = 210 g = 0.21 kg

Initial velocity of golf club, u₁ = 56 m/s

Mass of another golf ball which is at rest, m₂ = 46 g = 0.046 kg

After the collision, the club head travels (in the same direction) at 42 m/s. We need to find the speed of the golf ball just after impact. Let it is v.

Initial momentum of golf ball, $p_i=m_1u_1=0.21\ kg\times 56\ m/s=11.76\ kg-m/s$

After the collision, final momentum $p_f=0.21\ kg\times 42\ m/s+0.046v$

Using the conservation of momentum as :

$p_i=p_f$

$11.76\ kg-m/s=0.21\ kg\times 42\ m/s+0.046v$

v = 63.91 m/s

So, the speed of the  golf ball just after impact is 63.91 m/s. Hence, this is the required solution.