Question

Question

Two metal balls with the same mass hang so that they are touching each other. The ball on the left is pulled to the side and released. What will happen when it swings back and hits the ball on the right?(1 point)
Responses

Both balls will swing to the left.
Both balls will swing to the left.

Both balls will swing to the right.
Both balls will swing to the right.

The ball on the left will stop, and the ball on the right will remain still.
The ball on the left will stop, and the ball on the right will remain still.

The ball on the right will swing to the right.

Answer 1

When the ball on the left is pulled to the side and released, it swings down due to gravity and gains speed. When it collides with the ball on the right, which is initially at rest, the collision will transfer energy and momentum to the ball on the right.

Since both balls have the same mass and are identical, and assuming a perfectly elastic collision (where kinetic energy is conserved), the result will be that:

• The ball on the left will come to a stop after the collision.
• The ball on the right will swing to the right.

Therefore, the correct response is:

The ball on the right will swing to the right.