Edexcel M4 2014 June — Question 4

Exam BoardEdexcel
ModuleM4 (Mechanics 4)
Year2014
SessionJune
TopicMomentum and Collisions 2

4. A smooth uniform sphere \(S\) is moving on a smooth horizontal plane when it collides obliquely with an identical sphere \(T\) which is at rest on the plane. Immediately before the collision \(S\) is moving with speed \(U\) in a direction which makes an angle of \(60 ^ { \circ }\) with the line joining the centres of the spheres. The coefficient of restitution between the spheres is \(e\).
  1. Find, in terms of \(e\) and \(U\) where necessary,
    1. the speed and direction of motion of \(S\) immediately after the collision,
    2. the speed and direction of motion of \(T\) immediately after the collision. The angle through which the direction of motion of \(S\) is deflected is \(\delta ^ { \circ }\).
  2. Find
    1. the value of \(e\) for which \(\delta\) takes the largest possible value,
    2. the value of \(\delta\) in this case.