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Two balls impact e = 0.9, 30 and 50 kg

Short answer

Smooth balls: tangential components unchanged. Using momentum and restitution (e=0.9) along horizontal line of impact, v'_A=30.8 m/s at 180° (rebounds), v'_B=26.1 m/s at 54.2° above +x.

The magnitude and direction of the velocities of two frictionless balls with the mass mA=30m_A = 30 kg and mB=50m_B = 50 kg before they strike each other are shown in figure below. Assume e=0.9e = 0.9, determine the magnitude and direction of the velocity of each ball after the impact. [Figure: ball A (30 kg) moving right with VA=30V_A = 30 m/s along the horizontal; ball B (50 kg) with VB=30V_B = 30 m/s directed at 45∘45^\circ below the horizontal, toward upper left.]

Assumptions (figure description is ambiguous): the line of impact is the horizontal x-axis. Ball A (30 kg) moves to the right at 3030 m/s. Ball B (50 kg) moves to the left and upward at 3030 m/s, 45∘45^\circ to the line of impact. e=0.9e=0.9, smooth balls.

Components before impact

vAx=30, vAy=0;vBx=−30cos⁡45∘=−21.21, vBy=30sin⁡45∘=21.21 m/sv_{Ax}=30,\ v_{Ay}=0;\qquad v_{Bx}=-30\cos45^\circ=-21.21,\ v_{By}=30\sin45^\circ=21.21\ \text{m/s}

Tangential (y) components do not change: vAy′=0v'_{Ay}=0, vBy′=21.21v'_{By}=21.21 m/s.

Along the line of impact

Momentum:

30(30)+50(−21.21)=30vAx′+50vBx′ ⇒ 30vAx′+50vBx′=−160.730(30)+50(-21.21)=30v'_{Ax}+50v'_{Bx}\ \Rightarrow\ 30v'_{Ax}+50v'_{Bx}=-160.7

Restitution:

vBx′−vAx′=0.9 (30+21.21)=46.09v'_{Bx}-v'_{Ax}=0.9\,(30+21.21)=46.09

Substituting vBx′=vAx′+46.09v'_{Bx}=v'_{Ax}+46.09:

80vAx′+2304.6=−160.7 ⇒ vAx′=−30.82 m/s,vBx′=15.28 m/s80v'_{Ax}+2304.6=-160.7\ \Rightarrow\ v'_{Ax}=-30.82\ \text{m/s},\qquad v'_{Bx}=15.28\ \text{m/s}

Final velocities

Ball A: vA′=30.82v'_A=30.82 m/s, directed along the negative x-axis (it rebounds straight back, 180∘180^\circ).

Ball B:

vB′=15.282+21.212=26.14 m/s,θ=tan⁡−121.2115.28=54.2∘ above the positive x-axisv'_B=\sqrt{15.28^{2}+21.21^{2}}=26.14\ \text{m/s},\qquad \theta=\tan^{-1}\frac{21.21}{15.28}=54.2^\circ\ \text{above the positive x-axis}

Answer: vA′=30.8v'_A=30.8 m/s at 180∘180^\circ; vB′=26.1v'_B=26.1 m/s at 54.2∘54.2^\circ above the +x direction. (If B instead moves down-left, the sign of B's y-component reverses and its direction becomes 54.2∘54.2^\circ below +x.)

✓ Answer checked by Claude Opus 5.5 (high effort)

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