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A solid sphere rolls at speed $v$ on a horizontal surface and elastically collides with an identical stationary sphere (line of centres horizontal). After friction restores rolling on both, their speeds are:
AFirst sphere $0$, second sphere $v$
BBoth $v/2$
CFirst sphere $2v/7$, second sphere $5v/7$ (momentum still $v$)
DFirst sphere $v$, second sphere $v$
Answer & Solution
Correct answer: C. First sphere $2v/7$, second sphere $5v/7$ (momentum still $v$)
Elastic identical collision transfers translation only: just after collision, sphere 1 has $v=0$ but still spins ($\omega = v/R$); sphere 2 has $v$ but no spin. Friction restores rolling: for sphere 2, friction decelerates $v$ and spins it up — final $v_2' = (I/(I+mR^2))\cdot 0 + (mR^2/(I+mR^2))\cdot v = (5/7)v$. For sphere 1, friction accelerates $v$ from $0$, final $v_1' = (2/7)v$ (mirror calculation). Momentum sum $(2/7)v + (5/7)v = v$ ✓.
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