Question

A hockey puck of mass m traveling along the x axis at 4.5 m/s hits another identical hockey puck at rest. If after the collision the second puck travels at a speed of 3.5 m/s at an angle of 30° above the x axis, is this an elastic collision?

A) Yes, since momentum is conserved.
B) No, since momentum is not conserved.
C) Yes, since kinetic energy is conserved.
D) No, since kinetic energy is not conserved.
E) Not enough information.

Answer 1

D) No, since kinetic energy is not conserved.

Step-by-step explanation:

Since momentum is always conserved in all collision

so in Y direction we can say

`0 = m(3.5 sin30) - mv_y`

`v_y = 1.75 m/s`

Now similarly in X direction we will have

`m(4.5) = m(3.5 cos30 ) + mv_x`

`v_x = 1.47 m/s`

now final kinetic energy of both puck after collision is given as

`KE_f = (1)/(2)m(3.5^2) + (1)/(2)m(1.75^2 + 1.47^2)`

`KE_f = 8.73 m`

initial kinetic energy of both pucks is given as

`KE_i = (1)/(2)m(4.5^2) + 0`

`KE_i = 10.125 m`

since KE is decreased here so it must be inelastic collision

D) No, since kinetic energy is not conserved.