- #1
toesockshoe
- 265
- 2
Homework Statement
A ball with mass M moving horizontally at a speed v, collides elastically with a block of mass 3m that is initially hanging at rest from a celing on the end of a wire of length L. Find the maximum angle through which the block swings after it is hit.
Homework Equations
F=dp/dt
The Attempt at a Solution
I split the problem into 2 parts. Part 1 is trying to find the initial velocity of the block and part 2 is trying to find the angle.
PART 1:
let M1 equal the mass of ball and M2 be the mass of the block. (M2=3M1) V1 be the velocity of the ball abd V2 the velcotiy of the block.
[itex] F=\frac{dp}{dt} [/itex]
No forces in the x direction:
[itex] 0 = \Delta p [/itex]
[itex] P_i = P_f [/itex]
[itex] M_1V_1=-M_1V_1+M_2V_2 [/itex]
[itex] V_2=\frac{2M_1V_1}{M_2} [/itex]
PART 2:
you can use energy because the contact is elastic... so conservation of energy is valid:
system mass, earth, and bloc
W=deltaE
[itex]0=-\frac{1}{2}mv_2^2+mgh[/itex]
we found v2 in Part 1... substitute it and simply:
[itex] h = \frac{2M_1^2V_1^2}{gM_2^2} [/itex]
[itex] (L-\frac{2M_1^2V_1^2}{gM_2^2})/L [/itex]
[itex] \theta = cos^{-1}((L-\frac{2M_1^2V_1^2}{gM_2^2})/L) [/itex]
M2 = 3M1...
[itex] \theta = cos^{-1}((L-\frac{2M_1^2V_1^2}{g3M_1^2})/L) [/itex]
is this correct?