Question: Observe the behavior of Newton's Cradle. Momentum conservation is satisfied when one ball is pulled back and released, resulting in a collision such that one ball on the other end moves away at the same speed. Suppose each ball has mass, m, and the velocity of each released ball just before the collision is v. By determining the total momentum and kinetic energy before and after the collision, show that momentum and kinetic energy are conserved in this case (consider the instances in time just before and just after the collision, and neglect and collisions occurring between the stationary balls.) Momentum would also be conserved if 2 balls moved away at half the initial pre-collision speed. Show that this would be true by determining the total momentum before and after the collision. Would the kinetic energy be conserved in this second scenario? Determine the initial and final kinetic energy to find out.
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Question: Observe the behavior of Newton's Cradle. Momentum conservation is satisfied when one ball is pulled back and released, resulting in a collision such that one ball on the other end moves away at the same speed. Suppose each ball has mass, m, and the velocity of each released ball just before the collision is v. By determining the total momentum and kinetic energy before and after the collision, show that momentum and kinetic energy are conserved in this case (consider the instances in time just before and just after the collision, and neglect and collisions occurring between the stationary balls.) Momentum would also be conserved if 2 balls moved away at half the initial pre-collision speed. Show that this would be true by determining the total momentum before and after the collision. Would the kinetic energy be conserved in this second scenario? Determine the initial and final kinetic energy to find out. |
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