- #1
PhysicsPhil
- 10
- 0
[SOLVED] Elastic Collision - but no Final Velocities given!
An object of mass 2.0kg is moving at 4.0 m/s to the right. It collides elastically with an object of mass 1.0kg moving at 12.0 m/s to the left. Calculate the velocities of the objects after the collision.
[tex]m_1=2.0kg v_1 =4.0m/s m_2=1.0kg v_2=-12m/s[/tex]
I know the equation for an elastic collision:
[tex]m_1*v_1,i + m_2*v_2,i = m_1*v_1,f + m_2*v_2,f[/tex]
(the i = initial, f = final)
I've been given this challenge problem, and all my samples in the textbook have one of the unknowns given to us ... I'll show you what I mean, when I plug-in:
[tex](2.0kg)(4.0m/s) + (1.0kg)(-12m/s) = (2.0kg)v_1f + (1.0kg)v_2f[/tex]
How can I solve for v1f and v2f if I don't have one of them given to me? In the examples from the book one of those is always given, but not in this challenge problem, so I'm not sure how to go about solving it. I tried a system of equations where I solved for v2f in terms of v1f, but then when I plugged back into the same equation I got 0 (which of course I expected since I need two equations to solve a system of equations) ... I'm really at a loss ... any help?
Homework Statement
An object of mass 2.0kg is moving at 4.0 m/s to the right. It collides elastically with an object of mass 1.0kg moving at 12.0 m/s to the left. Calculate the velocities of the objects after the collision.
Homework Equations
[tex]m_1=2.0kg v_1 =4.0m/s m_2=1.0kg v_2=-12m/s[/tex]
The Attempt at a Solution
I know the equation for an elastic collision:
[tex]m_1*v_1,i + m_2*v_2,i = m_1*v_1,f + m_2*v_2,f[/tex]
(the i = initial, f = final)
I've been given this challenge problem, and all my samples in the textbook have one of the unknowns given to us ... I'll show you what I mean, when I plug-in:
[tex](2.0kg)(4.0m/s) + (1.0kg)(-12m/s) = (2.0kg)v_1f + (1.0kg)v_2f[/tex]
How can I solve for v1f and v2f if I don't have one of them given to me? In the examples from the book one of those is always given, but not in this challenge problem, so I'm not sure how to go about solving it. I tried a system of equations where I solved for v2f in terms of v1f, but then when I plugged back into the same equation I got 0 (which of course I expected since I need two equations to solve a system of equations) ... I'm really at a loss ... any help?