In a one-dimensional elastic collision between a moving body and an equal-mass stationary body, the moving body after collision:
AContinues with the same velocity
BStops completely
CRebounds with the same speed
DMoves with half its initial velocity
Answer & Solution
Correct answer: B. Stops completely
1. For equal masses in 1-D elastic collision, the standard result is total exchange of velocities.
2. The moving body transfers its entire KE and momentum to the stationary body.
3. Hence the moving body comes to rest; the other moves off with the original speed.
4. This is why a moving billiard ball stops dead on hitting a stationary identical ball head-on.
_Source: NCERT Class 11 Physics Ch 5, §5.12 Elastic Collisions in One Dimension_
Related questions
A crate dragged across a rough floor loses mechanical energy because friction is:Conservation of mechanical energy is the form the work-energy theorem takes when the forceCalculating work for a conservative force is easier than for a complicated path because itA force acting entirely perpendicular to an object's displacement does how much work?Mechanical energy transferred into or out of a system equals the work done by an external Winding up a toy or an old-fashioned watch stores energy by doing work against its:Which three energy examples are named together?The kinetic energy in the work-energy theorem is specifically the translational kinetic en