Professional Documents
Culture Documents
1. Two gliders with the initial velocities and masses shown below hit each other in a perfectly
elastic collision (elasticity 1.0). What will be the velocity of glider 2 after the collision?
Correct Answer: D.
6.0 m/s
Explanation: Because the gliders have the same mass and the collision is perfectly
elastic, the gliders will exchange velocities. This means that the velocity of Glider 2 after
the collision will be equal to the velocity of Glider 1 before the collision.
https://gizmos.explorelearning.com/index.cfm?method=cResource.dspView&ResourceID=12&ClassID=5890779 1/4
2/17/22, 10:35 AM Air Track Gizmo : ExploreLearning
2. Glider 1 starts with a mass of 2.4 kg and a velocity of 3.0 m/s. What is Glider 1's starting
momentum?
Correct Answer: C.
7.2 kg•m/s
3. Given the starting conditions shown below and a perfectly elastic collision, what will be the
total momentum of both gliders after they collide?
Correct Answer: B.
-9.0 kg•m/s
https://gizmos.explorelearning.com/index.cfm?method=cResource.dspView&ResourceID=12&ClassID=5890779 2/4
2/17/22, 10:35 AM Air Track Gizmo : ExploreLearning
Therefore the total momentum before and after the collision was
4. Two balls collide head-on on a table. The first ball has a mass of 0.50 kg and an initial velocity
of 12.0 m/s. The second ball has a mass of 0.75 kg and an initial velocity of -16.0 m/s. After the
collision, the first ball travels at a velocity of -21.6 m/s. What is the velocity of the second ball
after the collision? Assume a perfectly elastic collision and no friction between the balls and the
table.
Correct Answer: A.
6.4 m/s
Explanation: For any elastic collision, the approach velocity is equal to the separation
velocity. The approach velocity is equal to the difference of the two velocities, v1 − v2 .
Therefore, the approach velocity is
The separation velocity is equal to the difference of the two velocities after the collision,
v2 − v1 . We know that the separation velocity is equal to the approach velocity, and the
v2 − (−21.6) = 28.0
v2 = 6.4 m/s
https://gizmos.explorelearning.com/index.cfm?method=cResource.dspView&ResourceID=12&ClassID=5890779 3/4
2/17/22, 10:35 AM Air Track Gizmo : ExploreLearning
5. Two gliders collide on an air track. Glider 1 has a mass of 7.0 kg, and glider 2 has a mass of
4.0 kg. Before the collision, glider 1 had a velocity of 2.0 m/s, and glider 2 had a velocity of -5.0
m/s. If the collision is perfectly elastic, what is the total kinetic energy of both gliders after the
collision?
A. -36.0 J
B. 36.0 J
C. 64.0 J
D. 128.0 J
Correct Answer: C.
64.0 J
Explanation: In any collision, the total amount of energy in the system is conserved. If the
collision is perfectly elastic, no heat or sound is produced and the total kinetic energy is
conserved. Therefore, the total kinetic energy after the collision is equal to the total kinetic
energy before the collision. Kinetic energy is equal to mv2 /2,
2
K E 1 = 7.0 ⋅ 2.0 /2 = 14.0 J
2
K E 2 = 4.0 ⋅ (−5.0) /2 = 50.0 J
Therefore, the total kinetic energy before and after the collision is 64.0 J.
https://gizmos.explorelearning.com/index.cfm?method=cResource.dspView&ResourceID=12&ClassID=5890779 4/4