Question

A hockey puck moving at 0.450 m/s collides with another puck that was at rest. The pucks have equal mass. The first puck is deflected 37.0° to the right and moves off at 0.380 m/s. a) What is the speed of the second puck after the collision?

Answer 1

The speed of the second puck after the collision is 0.146 m/s.

How to calculate the speed of the second puck?

The speed of the second puck after the collision is calculated by applying the following formula.

sum of initial momentum = sum of final momentum

0.45 x m + 0 x m = 0.38 x cos(37) x m + mv

where;

• m is the mass of the pucks
• v is the final velocity of the second puck

0.45m = 0.304m + mv

0.45 = 0.304 + v

v = 0.45 - 0.304

v = 0.146 m/s

Thus, the speed of the second puck after the collision is 0.146 m/s.