Question

A green ball has a mass of 0.525 kg and a blue ball has a mass of 0.482 kg. A croquet player strikes the green ball and it gains an initial velocity of 2.26 m/s. It then strikes the blue ball, which is initially at rest. After the collision, the green ball has a velocity of 1.14 m/s in the same direction. If the balls roll on a frictionless surface and the collision is head-on, what is the final velocity of the blue ball? (Round your answer to the nearest hundredths place.)

Answer 1

Answer:

v' = 1.21 m/s

Explanation:

Mass of a green ball, m = 0.525 kg

Mass of a blue ball, m' = 0.482 kg

Initial velocity of green ball, u = 2.26 m/s

Initial velocity of blue ball, u' = 0 (at rest)

After the collision,

The final velocity of the green ball, v = 1.14 m/s

We need to find the final velocity of the blue ball after the collision if the collision is head on. Let v' is the final velcity of the blue ball. Using the conservation of momentum to find it :

$mu+m'u'=mv+m'v'\\\\0.525 (2.26)+0=0.525 (1.14)+0.482v'\\\\0.588=0.482v'\\\\v'=\dfrac{0.588}{0.482}\\\\v'=1.21\ m/s$

So, the final velocity of the blue ball is 1.21 m/s.