I don't know why you say that. Each ball is suspended from its own identical string. Pull 2 aside by some distance, they both rise the same distance.adamg said:since they will have inevitably fallen from slightly different heights (i.e more GPE = more KE?) .
The most outward ball has the highest amplitude so it should have the greatest horizontal speed at the bottom. But it can't go any faster that the one in front of it, so it pushes it forward and they both move at the same speed.adamg said:if you have a Newton's cradle consisting of, say, 5 balls, and you displace 2 of these to the left and let them go, we say they hit the others with velocity v. I was just wondering if the balls would have different velocities at the point of impact since they will have inevitably fallen from slightly different heights (i.e more GPE = more KE?) Does the back one speed up more and then just push the second one so they do have the same velocity? thanks.
Newton's Cradle is a device that demonstrates the conservation of momentum and energy. It consists of a series of suspended balls that swing back and forth, with the end balls remaining relatively still while the middle balls transfer energy and momentum between them.
The height of the balls in Newton's Cradle does not affect the velocity of the balls. The velocity of the balls is determined by the initial drop height of the first ball and the mass and elasticity of the balls.
The energy transfer process in Newton's Cradle involves the conversion of potential energy into kinetic energy. When the first ball is released, it has potential energy due to its height. As it falls and collides with the second ball, the potential energy is converted into kinetic energy. This process continues as the energy is transferred between the balls until it eventually dissipates due to friction and other external factors.
The number of balls in Newton's Cradle does not affect the energy transfer. The energy transfer is determined by the initial drop height of the first ball and the mass and elasticity of the balls, not the number of balls present.
Newton's Cradle has applications in understanding the principles of momentum and energy conservation. It is also used as a demonstration in physics classrooms and as a desk toy for stress relief. Additionally, the concept of energy transfer in Newton's Cradle can be applied to other systems and devices, such as collisions between objects.