Edexcel M2 — Question 5

Exam BoardEdexcel
ModuleM2 (Mechanics 2)
TopicMomentum and Collisions 1

5. A smooth sphere \(S\) of mass \(m\) is moving with speed \(u\) on a smooth horizontal plane. The sphere \(S\) collides with another smooth sphere \(T\), of equal radius to \(S\) but of mass \(k m\), moving in the same straight line and in the same direction with speed \(\lambda u , 0 < \lambda < \frac { 1 } { 2 }\). The coefficient of restitution between \(S\) and \(T\) is \(e\). Given that \(S\) is brought to rest by the impact,
  1. show that \(e = \frac { 1 + k \lambda } { k ( 1 - \lambda ) }\).
  2. Deduce that \(k > 1\).