Edexcel M4 2012 June — Question 1

Exam BoardEdexcel
ModuleM4 (Mechanics 4)
Year2012
SessionJune
TopicMomentum and Collisions 2

  1. A smooth uniform sphere \(S\), of mass \(m\), is moving on a smooth horizontal plane when it collides obliquely with another smooth uniform sphere \(T\), of the same radius as \(S\) but of mass \(2 m\), which is at rest on the plane. Immediately before the collision the velocity of \(S\) makes an angle \(\alpha\), where \(\tan \alpha = \frac { 3 } { 4 }\), with the line joining the centres of the spheres. Immediately after the collision the speed of \(T\) is \(V\). The coefficient of restitution between the spheres is \(\frac { 3 } { 4 }\).
    1. Find, in terms of \(V\), the speed of \(S\)
      1. immediately before the collision,
      2. immediately after the collision.
    2. Find the angle through which the direction of motion of \(S\) is deflected as a result of the collision.