What Mass Must the Smaller Ball Have to Prevent the Larger Ball from Bouncing?

[stanwille]

Homework Statement

2 balls fall from a given height. 1 ball is smaller than the other and the mass of the bigger ball is given. The larger ball is directly below the smaller ball when dropped and the separation is distance is negligible. When the larger ball hits the floor, the smaller ball collides with the larger ball. What is the mass of the smaller ball if it prevents the larger ball from bouncing back up (it remains at rest on the floor)?

Homework Equations

Kinetic energy, conservation of energy

The Attempt at a Solution

The mass of the smaller ball is equal to that of the larger ball.
I am not sure of this answer though

 

[Doc Al]

Show how you arrived at this answer. Hint: What's conserved?

 

[nlightner]

, as there are several factors that could affect the outcome of the collision. The mass of the smaller ball is one important factor, but other factors such as the elasticity of the balls and the angle of collision could also play a role. To accurately determine the mass of the smaller ball, we would need to know all of these variables and use equations such as the conservation of energy and momentum to calculate the final outcome of the collision. It is also important to note that in real-world scenarios, there could be other external factors at play such as air resistance or surface friction, which could also affect the outcome of the collision. Therefore, without more information and a more detailed analysis, it is not possible to accurately determine the mass of the smaller ball in this scenario.