Question

A bowling ball with a momentum of 18kg-m/s strikes a stationary bowling pin. After the collision, the ball has a momentum of 13kg-m/s directed 55 degrees to the left of its initial direction as shown below. What is the momentum (magnitude and direction) of the pin's resultant velocity?

Answer 1

Answer:

$14.98\ \text{kg m/s}$

$45.26^{\circ}$

Explanation:

$P_1$ = Initial momentum of the pin = 13 kg m/s

$P_i$ = Initial momentum of the ball = 18 kg m/s

$P_2$ = Momentum of the ball after hit

$55^{\circ}$ = Angle ball makes with the horizontal after hitting the pin

$\theta$ = Angle the pin makes with the horizotal after getting hit by the ball

Momentum in the x direction

$P_i=P_1\cos55^{\circ}+P_2\cos\theta\\\Rightarrow P_2\cos\theta=P_i-P_1\cos55^{\circ}\\\Rightarrow P_2\cos\theta=18-13\cos55^{\circ}\\\Rightarrow P_2\cos\theta=10.54\ \text{kg m/s}$

Momentum in the y direction

$P_1\sin55=P_2\sin\theta\\\Rightarrow P_2\sin\theta=13\sin55^{\circ}\\\Rightarrow P_2\sin\theta=10.64\ \text{kg m/s}$

$(P_2\cos\theta)^2+(P_2\sin\theta)^2=P_2^2\\\Rightarrow P_2=\sqrt{10.54^2+10.64^2}\\\Rightarrow P_2=14.98\ \text{kg m/s}$

The pin's resultant velocity is $14.98\ \text{kg m/s}$

$P_2\sin\theta=10.64\\\Rightarrow \theta=sin^{-1}\dfrac{10.64}{14.98}\\\Rightarrow \theta=45.26^{\circ}$

The pin's resultant direction is $45.26^{\circ}$ below the horizontal or to the right.