Conceptual Physics (12th Edition)

Published by Addison-Wesley
ISBN 10: 0321909100
ISBN 13: 978-0-32190-910-7

Chapter 6 - Think and Solve - Page 105: 33

Answer

The 2-kg ball must have been moving at half the speed of the 1-kg ball.

Work Step by Step

The momentum after the collision is zero. The net momentum of both putty balls before the collision must also have been zero. So the 2-kg ball must have been moving at half the speed of the 1-kg ball. This ensures that the initial momentum vectors, mv, were equal and opposite.
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