Solving for the Target's Mass in a One-Dimensional Elastic Collision

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The discussion revolves around solving for the mass of a movable target in a one-dimensional elastic collision involving a tennis ball. The tennis ball, with a mass of 5.70x10^-2 kg, initially moves at 185 km/h and bounces back at 80.0 km/h after colliding with the target. Participants emphasize the necessity of applying both the conservation of momentum and the conservation of kinetic energy equations to determine the target's mass accurately. The equations discussed include m1v1i + m2v2i = m1v1f + m2v2f and m2 = [m1(v1i - v1f)] / (v2f - v2i).

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physics87
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I can't solve this problem:

Suppose a tennis ball moving to the right at 185 km/h hits a moveable target of unknown mass. After the one-dimensional, perfectly elastic collision, the tennis ball bounces to the left with a speed of 80.0 km/h. If the tennis ball's mass is 5.70x10^-2kg, what is the target's mass? (Hint: use the conservation of kinetic energy to solve for the second unknown quantity.)

Thank you very much!
 
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physics87 said:
I can't solve this problem:

Suppose a tennis ball moving to the right at 185 km/h hits a moveable target of unknown mass. After the one-dimensional, perfectly elastic collision, the tennis ball bounces to the left with a speed of 80.0 km/h. If the tennis ball's mass is 5.70x10^-2kg, what is the target's mass? (Hint: use the conservation of kinetic energy to solve for the second unknown quantity.)

Thank you very much!

The hint the problem gave u solves things just by half,since there's another equation u have to put in.The equation which results by a proper projection of the linear momentum conservation eq. along the axis of the movement.
 
thank you for your help, but i do not know how to combine these equations.
so far i have:
1=tennis ball
2=movable target
m1v1i+m2v2i=m1v1f+m2v2f
m2(v2f-v2i)=m1(v1i-v1f)
m2=[m1(v1i-v1f)]/(v2f-v2i)
Is the movable target initaily at rest?
And, how can I use the conservation of KE to solve for the final velocity of the movable target?
Thank you for all your help!
 

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