Calculate Max Angle of Deflection for Ball on Cord

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    Angle Deflection
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Homework Help Overview

The problem involves calculating the maximum angle of deflection for a ball attached to a cord after an elastic collision with another ball. The context includes concepts of kinetic and potential energy, as well as trigonometry related to the geometry of the situation.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory, Conceptual clarification, Mathematical reasoning

Approaches and Questions Raised

  • Participants discuss the conversion of kinetic energy to potential energy to determine the height reached by the second ball after the collision. There are questions about how to calculate the angle of deflection using the geometry of the situation.

Discussion Status

Some participants have provided guidance on using energy principles and trigonometry to approach the problem. There is an ongoing exploration of how to relate the height achieved to the angle of deflection, with no explicit consensus reached yet.

Contextual Notes

Participants are working with specific values for mass and velocity, and there is a focus on the geometry of the triangle formed by the cord and the height reached by the ball. The length of the cord is noted as a constraint in the calculations.

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Homework Statement


A ball with a mass, m1=0.24 kg, initially moves to the right with a speed of 5m/s. The first ball then has an elastic collision with a second ball with a mass of .56kg which is initially at rest. The second ball is suspended just above the table by a cord which is 1.5 meters long. Right after the collision occurs, m2 moves to the right with a speed of 3m/s.

How would I go about calculating the maximum angle of deflection (measured from the vertical) that a ball attached to a cord will achieve?


Homework Equations


In the first part of the question I had to find the mass of the second ball and the final velocity of the first ball. m2=.56kg and Final Velocity of m1 is -2m/s

The Attempt at a Solution

 
Last edited:
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If you know the initial speed of m2, you know it's initial kinetic energy. When it reaches to the top of it's swing all of that will be converted to potential energy. How high does it go? Now use that to find the angle.
 
now i found the height to be .46 meters. the length of the cord is 1.5 meters. And I need to find the angle in between the initial position (from it just hanging) to the final position (when it is in the air). Now that creates a triangle, but I can't figure out how to get at that angle. Thanks for all the help!
 
Last edited:
You get at the angle by figuring out some sides and using trigonometry. What's the vertical side? What's the hypotenuse?
 

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