Question

A 6kg bowling ball rolling with a velocity of 2m/s to the right collides with an 8kg bowling ball moving with a velocity of 2.5 m/s to the left. If the 6kg bowling ball bounces off with a velocity of 1.5 m/s to the left, determine the final velocity of the 8kg bowling ball.

a) 0.125 kgm/s
b) -2 kgm/s
c) -1.5 kgm/s
d) -0.125 kgm/s

Answer 1

The final velocity of the 8kg bowling ball is 0.75m/s to the right.

Step-by-step explanation:

To determine the final velocity of the 8kg bowling ball, we can use the law of conservation of momentum. According to this law, the total momentum before the collision is equal to the total momentum after the collision.

Before the collision:

Total momentum = 6kg × 2m/s + 8kg × (-2.5m/s) = -3kg·m/s

After the collision:

Total momentum = 6kg × (-1.5m/s) + 8kg × v

Setting the two equations equal to each other, we can solve for v:

-3kg·m/s = -9kg·m/s + 8kg × v

v = (-3kg·m/s + 9kg·m/s) / 8kg = 0.75m/s

Therefore, the final velocity of the 8kg bowling ball is 0.75m/s to the right.