Direct collision, find final speed

Two particles collide directly on a smooth horizontal surface; given masses and initial velocities, find the speed of one or both particles after collision using conservation of momentum.

10 questions · Moderate -0.8

6.03b Conservation of momentum: 1D two particles
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CAIE M1 2023 June Q2
4 marks Easy -1.2
2 Two particles \(A\) and \(B\), of masses 3.2 kg and 2.4 kg respectively, lie on a smooth horizontal table. \(A\) moves towards \(B\) with a speed of \(v \mathrm {~m} \mathrm {~s} ^ { - 1 }\) and collides with \(B\), which is moving towards \(A\) with a speed of \(6 \mathrm {~m} \mathrm {~s} ^ { - 1 }\). In the collision the two particles come to rest.
  1. Find the value of \(v\). \includegraphics[max width=\textwidth, alt={}, center]{e5ee28f2-5876-4149-9a77-18c5792c1bd8-03_61_1569_495_328}
  2. Find the loss of kinetic energy of the system due to the collision.
CAIE M1 2021 March Q1
3 marks Moderate -0.8
1 Two particles \(P\) and \(Q\) of masses 0.2 kg and 0.3 kg respectively are free to move in a horizontal straight line on a smooth horizontal plane. \(P\) is projected towards \(Q\) with speed \(0.5 \mathrm {~m} \mathrm {~s} ^ { - 1 }\). At the same instant \(Q\) is projected towards \(P\) with speed \(1 \mathrm {~ms} ^ { - 1 } . Q\) comes to rest in the resulting collision. Find the speed of \(P\) after the collision.
CAIE M1 2020 November Q1
3 marks Easy -1.3
1 Two particles \(P\) and \(Q\), of masses 0.2 kg and 0.5 kg respectively, are at rest on a smooth horizontal plane. \(P\) is projected towards \(Q\) with speed \(2 \mathrm {~m} \mathrm {~s} ^ { - 1 }\).
  1. Write down the momentum of \(P\).
  2. After the collision \(P\) continues to move in the same direction with speed \(0.3 \mathrm {~m} \mathrm {~s} ^ { - 1 }\). Find the speed of \(Q\) after the collision.
Edexcel M1 2020 June Q1
7 marks Moderate -0.5
  1. Two particles, \(P\) and \(Q\), with masses \(m\) and \(2 m\) respectively, are moving in the same direction along the same straight line when they collide directly. Immediately before they collide, \(P\) is moving with speed \(4 u\) and \(Q\) is moving with speed \(u\). Immediately after they collide, both particles are moving in the same direction and the speed of \(Q\) is four times the speed of \(P\).
    1. Find the speed of \(Q\) immediately after the collision.
    2. Find the magnitude of the impulse exerted by \(Q\) on \(P\) in the collision.
    3. State clearly the direction of this impulse.
OCR M1 2005 June Q3
8 marks Moderate -0.8
3 Two small spheres \(P\) and \(Q\) have masses 0.1 kg and 0.2 kg respectively. The spheres are moving directly towards each other on a horizontal plane and collide. Immediately before the collision \(P\) has speed \(4 \mathrm {~m} \mathrm {~s} ^ { - 1 }\) and \(Q\) has speed \(3 \mathrm {~m} \mathrm {~s} ^ { - 1 }\). Immediately after the collision the spheres move away from each other, \(P\) with speed \(u \mathrm {~m} \mathrm {~s} ^ { - 1 }\) and \(Q\) with speed \(( 3.5 - u ) \mathrm { m } \mathrm { s } ^ { - 1 }\).
  1. Find the value of \(u\). After the collision the spheres both move with deceleration of magnitude \(5 \mathrm {~m} \mathrm {~s} ^ { - 2 }\) until they come to rest on the plane.
  2. Find the distance \(P Q\) when both \(P\) and \(Q\) are at rest.
OCR M1 2011 January Q1
6 marks Moderate -0.8
1 Two particles \(P\) and \(Q\) are projected directly towards each other on a smooth horizontal surface. \(P\) has mass 0.5 kg and initial speed \(2.4 \mathrm {~m} \mathrm {~s} ^ { - 1 }\), and \(Q\) has mass 0.8 kg and initial speed \(1.5 \mathrm {~m} \mathrm {~s} ^ { - 1 }\). After a collision between \(P\) and \(Q\), the speed of \(P\) is \(0.2 \mathrm {~m} \mathrm {~s} ^ { - 1 }\) and the direction of its motion is reversed. Calculate
  1. the change in the momentum of \(P\),
  2. the speed of \(Q\) after the collision.
OCR M1 2012 January Q1
6 marks Moderate -0.8
1 Particles \(P\) and \(Q\), of masses 0.3 kg and 0.5 kg respectively, are moving in the same direction along the same straight line on a smooth horizontal surface. \(P\) is moving with speed \(2.2 \mathrm {~ms} ^ { - 1 }\) and \(Q\) is moving with speed \(0.8 \mathrm {~ms} ^ { - 1 }\) immediately before they collide. In the collision, the speed of \(P\) is reduced by \(50 \%\) and its direction of motion is unchanged.
  1. Calculate the speed of \(Q\) immediately after the collision.
  2. Find the distance \(P Q\) at the instant 3 seconds after the collision.
OCR MEI Further Mechanics A AS 2022 June Q7
10 marks Moderate -0.3
7 The diagram shows a cannon fixed to a trolley. The trolley runs on a smooth horizontal track. \includegraphics[max width=\textwidth, alt={}, center]{d1ec7861-dc8b-450b-8e05-c70479ab0dc2-8_310_1086_296_520} A driver boards the trolley with two cannon balls. The combined mass of the trolley, driver, cannon and cannon balls is 320 kg . Each cannon ball has a mass of 5 kg . Initially the trolley is at rest. A force of 480 N acts on the trolley in the forward direction for 4 seconds.
    1. Calculate the magnitude of the impulse of the force on the trolley.
    2. Calculate the speed of the trolley after the force stops acting. The driver now fires a cannon ball horizontally in the backward direction. The cannon ball and cannon separate at a rate of \(90 \mathrm {~ms} ^ { - 1 }\).
  1. Show that, after the firing of the cannon ball, the trolley moves with a speed of \(7.41 \mathrm {~ms} ^ { - 1 }\), correct to \(\mathbf { 3 }\) significant figures. The driver now reverses the direction of the cannon and fires the second cannon ball horizontally in the forward direction. Again, the cannon ball and cannon separate at a rate of \(90 \mathrm {~ms} ^ { - 1 }\).
  2. Calculate the overall percentage change in the kinetic energy of the trolley (alone) from before the first cannon ball is fired to after the second is fired, giving your answer correct to \(\mathbf { 2 }\) decimal places. You should make clear whether the change in kinetic energy is a gain or a loss.
  3. Give a reason why one of the modelling assumptions that was required in answering parts (a), (b) and (c) may not have been appropriate. \section*{END OF QUESTION PAPER}
AQA M1 Q1
Moderate -0.8
1 A particle \(A\) moves across a smooth horizontal surface in a straight line. The particle \(A\) has mass 2 kg and speed \(6 \mathrm {~m} \mathrm {~s} ^ { - 1 }\). A particle \(B\), which has mass 3 kg , is at rest on the surface. The particle \(A\) collides with the particle \(B\). \includegraphics[max width=\textwidth, alt={}, center]{6151e6ab-30af-4d1c-ab4a-e7dbad170cbf-003_147_506_644_733}
  1. If, after the collision, \(A\) is at rest and \(B\) moves away from \(A\), find the speed of \(B\).
  2. If, after the collision, \(A\) and \(B\) move away from each other with speeds \(v \mathrm {~m} \mathrm {~s} ^ { - 1 }\) and \(4 v \mathrm {~m} \mathrm {~s} ^ { - 1 }\) respectively, as shown in the diagram below, find the value of \(v\). \includegraphics[max width=\textwidth, alt={}, center]{6151e6ab-30af-4d1c-ab4a-e7dbad170cbf-003_138_506_1144_730}
AQA M1 2006 January Q1
6 marks Moderate -0.8
1 A particle \(A\) moves across a smooth horizontal surface in a straight line. The particle \(A\) has mass 2 kg and speed \(6 \mathrm {~m} \mathrm {~s} ^ { - 1 }\). A particle \(B\), which has mass 3 kg , is at rest on the surface. The particle \(A\) collides with the particle \(B\). \includegraphics[max width=\textwidth, alt={}, center]{c220e6c4-2676-4022-8301-7d720dc082b2-2_147_506_644_733}
  1. If, after the collision, \(A\) is at rest and \(B\) moves away from \(A\), find the speed of \(B\).
  2. If, after the collision, \(A\) and \(B\) move away from each other with speeds \(v \mathrm {~m} \mathrm {~s} ^ { - 1 }\) and \(4 v \mathrm {~m} \mathrm {~s} ^ { - 1 }\) respectively, as shown in the diagram below, find the value of \(v\). \includegraphics[max width=\textwidth, alt={}, center]{c220e6c4-2676-4022-8301-7d720dc082b2-2_138_506_1144_730}