Energy loss in collision

A question is this type if and only if the primary or a significant sub-task is to calculate the total kinetic energy lost as a result of one or more collisions, or to find an unknown (e, mass, speed) given information about the fraction or amount of energy lost.

5 questions · Standard +0.6

6.03b Conservation of momentum: 1D two particles
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CAIE FP2 2018 June Q3
9 marks Standard +0.3
3 Two identical uniform small spheres \(A\) and \(B\), each of mass \(m\), are moving towards each other in a straight line on a smooth horizontal surface. Their speeds are \(u\) and \(k u\) respectively, and they collide directly. The coefficient of restitution between the spheres is \(e\). Sphere \(B\) is brought to rest by the collision.
  1. Show that \(e = \frac { k - 1 } { k + 1 }\).
  2. Given that \(60 \%\) of the total initial kinetic energy is lost in the collision, find the values of \(k\) and \(e\).
CAIE FP2 2019 June Q3
10 marks Standard +0.3
3 Three uniform small spheres \(A , B\) and \(C\) have equal radii and masses \(2 m , 4 m\) and \(m\) respectively. The spheres are moving in a straight line on a smooth horizontal surface, with \(B\) between \(A\) and \(C\). The coefficient of restitution between each pair of spheres is \(e\). Spheres \(A\) and \(B\) are moving towards each other with speeds \(2 u\) and \(u\) respectively. The first collision is between \(A\) and \(B\).
  1. Find the velocities of \(A\) and \(B\) after this collision.
    Sphere \(C\) is moving towards \(B\) with speed \(\frac { 4 } { 3 } u\) and now collides with it. As a result of this collision, \(B\) is brought to rest.
  2. Find the value of \(e\).
  3. Find the total kinetic energy lost by the three spheres as a result of the two collisions.
CAIE FP2 2012 November Q4
11 marks Standard +0.8
4 A particle \(P\) of mass \(2 m\), moving on a smooth horizontal plane with speed \(u\), strikes a fixed smooth vertical barrier. Immediately before the collision the angle between the direction of motion of \(P\) and the barrier is \(60 ^ { \circ }\). The coefficient of restitution between \(P\) and the barrier is \(\frac { 1 } { 3 }\). Show that \(P\) loses two-thirds of its kinetic energy in the collision. Subsequently \(P\) collides directly with a particle \(Q\) of mass \(m\) which is moving on the plane with speed \(u\) towards \(P\). The magnitude of the impulse acting on each particle in the collision is \(\frac { 2 } { 3 } m u ( 1 + \sqrt { 3 } )\).
  1. Show that the speed of \(P\) after this collision is \(\frac { 1 } { 3 } u\).
  2. Find the exact value of the coefficient of restitution between \(P\) and \(Q\).
OCR Further Mechanics AS 2024 June Q5
14 marks Challenging +1.2
5 Two particles, \(A\) of mass \(m _ { A } \mathrm {~kg}\) and \(B\) of mass 5 kg , are moving directly towards each other on a smooth horizontal floor. Before they collide they have speeds \(\mathrm { u } _ { \mathrm { A } } \mathrm { m } \mathrm { s } ^ { - 1 }\) and \(2 \mathrm {~m} \mathrm {~s} ^ { - 1 }\) respectively. Immediately after they collide the direction of motion of each particle has been reversed and \(A\) and \(B\) have speeds \(3.25 \mathrm {~m} \mathrm {~s} ^ { - 1 }\) and \(0.5 \mathrm {~m} \mathrm {~s} ^ { - 1 }\) respectively (see diagram). The coefficient of restitution between \(A\) and \(B\) is 0.75 . Before: \includegraphics[max width=\textwidth, alt={}, center]{d2156252-71f2-4084-89a2-4d246583eb65-4_218_711_552_283} After: \includegraphics[max width=\textwidth, alt={}, center]{d2156252-71f2-4084-89a2-4d246583eb65-4_218_707_552_1078}
  1. Determine the value of \(m _ { A }\) and the value of \(u _ { A }\).
    [0pt] [5]
  2. Show that approximately \(41 \%\) of the kinetic energy of the system is lost in this collision. After the collision between \(A\) and \(B\), \(B\) goes on to collide directly with a third particle \(C\) of mass 3 kg which is travelling towards \(B\) with a speed of \(5.5 \mathrm {~m} \mathrm {~s} ^ { - 1 }\). The coefficient of restitution between \(B\) and \(C\) is denoted by \(e\).
  3. Given that, after \(B\) and \(C\) collide, there are no further collisions between \(A , B\) and \(C\) determine the range of possible values of \(e\).
OCR FM1 AS 2017 Specimen Q5
15 marks Standard +0.3
5 \includegraphics[max width=\textwidth, alt={}, center]{c397fca5-e7e8-4f3d-b519-cd92a983ebcc-04_221_1233_367_328} The masses of two spheres \(A\) and \(B\) are \(3 m \mathrm {~kg}\) and \(m \mathrm {~kg}\) respectively. The spheres are moving towards each other with constant speeds \(2 u \mathrm {~m} \mathrm {~s} ^ { - 1 }\) and \(u \mathrm {~m} \mathrm {~s} ^ { - 1 }\) respectively along the same straight line towards each other on a smooth horizontal surface (see diagram). The two spheres collide and the coefficient of restitution between the spheres is \(e\). After colliding, \(A\) and \(B\) both move in the same direction with speeds \(v \mathrm {~ms} ^ { - 1 }\) and \(w \mathrm {~m} \mathrm {~s} ^ { - 1 }\), respectively.
  1. Find an expression for \(v\) in terms of \(e\) and \(u\).
  2. Write down unsimplified expressions in terms of \(e\) and \(u\) for
    1. the total kinetic energy of the spheres before the collision,
    2. the total kinetic energy of the spheres after the collision.
    3. Given that the total kinetic energy of the spheres after the collision is \(\lambda\) times the total kinetic energy before the collision, show that $$\lambda = \frac { 27 e ^ { 2 } + 25 } { 52 }$$
    4. Comment on the cases when
      (a) \(\lambda = 1\),
      (b) \(\lambda = \frac { 25 } { 52 }\). \includegraphics[max width=\textwidth, alt={}, center]{c397fca5-e7e8-4f3d-b519-cd92a983ebcc-05_789_981_324_543} The fixed points \(A\), \(B\) and \(C\) are in a vertical line with \(A\) above \(B\) and \(B\) above \(C\). A particle \(P\) of mass 2.5 kg is joined to \(A\), to \(B\) and to a particle \(Q\) of mass 2 kg , by three light rods where the length of rod \(A P\) is 1.5 m and the length of rod \(P Q\) is 0.75 m . Particle \(P\) moves in a horizontal circle with centre \(B\). Particle \(Q\) moves in a horizontal circle with centre \(C\) at the same constant angular speed \(\omega\) as \(P\), in such a way that \(A , B , P\) and \(Q\) are coplanar. The rod \(A P\) makes an angle of \(60 ^ { \circ }\) with the downward vertical, rod \(P Q\) makes an angle of \(30 ^ { \circ }\) with the downward vertical and rod \(B P\) is horizontal (see diagram).
      1. Find the tension in the \(\operatorname { rod } P Q\).
      2. Find \(\omega\).
      3. Find the speed of \(P\).
      4. Find the tension in the \(\operatorname { rod } A P\).
      5. Hence find the magnitude of the force in rod \(B P\). Decide whether this rod is under tension or compression.