How Can I Find the Velocity of a Collision with Only Displacements?

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In summary, the person is asking how to find the velocity of a steel ball in a collision with another steel ball of equal mass when they only know the displacements. It is unclear what the person means by saying time is irrelevant and whether they are asking about the units of velocity. The responder suggests using the conservation of linear momentum, but without more details, it is difficult to provide a specific answer.
  • #1
izzakizza
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How do I find the velocity of a steel ball in a collision with a steel ball of equal mass when I only know the displacements? (Time is irrelevant because it is also equal I believe?) Do I still write velocity in m/s? or just in meters?

V = displacement/time
 
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  • #2
izzakizza said:
How do I find the velocity of a steel ball in a collision with a steel ball of equal mass when I only know the displacements? (Time is irrelevant because it is also equal I believe?) Do I still write velocity in m/s? or just in meters?

V = displacement/time
Hi izzakizza and welcome to PF.
I don't follow you when you say that time is equal. Equal to what?
Velocity unit is always a distance over time, so writing it as meters doesn't have any sense.
I don't understand well your question (you know the displacements? What do you mean by this? Do you mean their path? If so it's impossible to know their velocity.)
I think your question is too vague. If you could add some details we might help you.
(By the way I'm pretty sure you'll have to use the fact that the linear momentum is conserved, but from what you posted we cannot say anything)
 
  • #3


In order to find the velocity of a collision using only displacements, you will need to know the initial and final positions of the objects involved in the collision. This can be represented by the equation V = (xf - xi)/t, where V is the velocity, xf is the final position, xi is the initial position, and t is the time interval.

In the case of a collision between two steel balls of equal mass, if we assume that both balls start at rest and have the same final position, then the equation simplifies to V = xf/t. Time is indeed irrelevant in this scenario because it is equal for both objects.

To answer your question about units, velocity is typically expressed in meters per second (m/s). So, if your displacements are in meters and your time interval is in seconds, then your velocity will also be in m/s. It is important to include units in your final answer to ensure accuracy and clarity.

In summary, to find the velocity of a collision with only displacements, you will need to know the initial and final positions of the objects involved and use the equation V = (xf - xi)/t or V = xf/t. Remember to include units in your final answer to accurately represent the velocity of the collision.
 

1. What is velocity?

Velocity is defined as the rate of change of an object's position with respect to time. In other words, it is the speed and direction of an object's movement.

2. How do you calculate velocity?

Velocity can be calculated by dividing the change in an object's position by the change in time. The formula for velocity is v = ∆x/∆t, where v is velocity, ∆x is change in position, and ∆t is change in time.

3. What is the difference between velocity and speed?

Velocity and speed are often used interchangeably, but they have different meanings in physics. While speed refers to the rate at which an object is moving, velocity also takes into account the direction of movement.

4. What are the units of velocity?

The units of velocity depend on the units used for distance and time. In the metric system, velocity is typically measured in meters per second (m/s). In the imperial system, it is often measured in miles per hour (mph).

5. How does acceleration affect velocity?

Acceleration is the rate of change of an object's velocity with respect to time. When an object is accelerating, its velocity is changing. If an object is speeding up, its velocity will increase. If an object is slowing down, its velocity will decrease.

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