CAIE FP2 2010 November — Question 3

Exam BoardCAIE
ModuleFP2 (Further Pure Mathematics 2)
Year2010
SessionNovember
TopicMomentum and Collisions 1

3 Two smooth spheres \(A\) and \(B\), of equal radius, are moving in the same direction in the same straight line on a smooth horizontal table. Sphere \(A\) has mass \(m\) and speed \(u\) and sphere \(B\) has mass \(\alpha m\) and speed \(\frac { 1 } { 4 } u\). The spheres collide and \(A\) is brought to rest by the collision. Find the coefficient of restitution in terms of \(\alpha\). Deduce that \(\alpha \geqslant 2\).