Physics for Scientists and Engineers: A Strategic Approach with Modern Physics (3rd Edition)

Published by Pearson
ISBN 10: 0321740904
ISBN 13: 978-0-32174-090-8

Chapter 9 - Impulse and Momentum - Exercises and Problems - Page 241: 23

Answer

$p_{f1}= (2\;\hat i+4\;\hat j)\;\rm kg\cdot m/s $

Work Step by Step

We can assume that the collision is perfectly elastic and the system (the two particles) is isolated. This means that the momentum is conserved. Thus, $$p_i=p_f$$ Thus, $$p_{i1}+p_{i2}=p_{f1}+p_{f2}\tag 1$$ We can see, from the given graph, that $$p_{i1}=(-2\;\hat i+2\;\hat j)\;\rm kg\cdot m/s$$ $$p_{i2}=(4\;\hat i+1\;\hat j)\;\rm kg\cdot m/s$$ $$p_{f2}=(0\;\hat i-1\;\hat j)\;\rm kg\cdot m/s$$ Plugging these last 3 equations into (1); $$-2\;\hat i+2\;\hat j+4\;\hat i+1\;\hat j=p_{f1}+0\;\hat i-1\;\hat j$$ Solving for $p_{f1}$ $$p_{f1}=-2\;\hat i+2\;\hat j+4\;\hat i+1\;\hat j-0\;\hat i+1\;\hat j $$ $$p_{f1}= (\color{red}{\bf2}\;\hat i+\color{red}{4}\;\hat j)\;\rm kg\cdot m/s $$
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