A small and a large sphere, of mass M and 3M respectively, are arranged as shown on the left side of the figure above. The spheres are then simultaneously dropped from rest. When the large sphere strikes the floor, the spheres have fallen a height H. Assume air resistance is negligible. Immediately after striking the floor, the large sphere is moving upward with speed vb and collides head-on with the small sphere, which is moving downward with identical speed vb at that instant. Immediately after the collision, the small sphere moves upward with speed vS and the large sphere has speed vL.

Question

A small and a large sphere, of mass M and 3M respectively, are arranged as shown on the left side of the figure above. The spheres are then simultaneously dropped from rest. When the large sphere strikes the floor, the spheres have fallen a height H. Assume air resistance is negligible. Immediately after striking the floor, the large sphere is moving upward with speed vb and collides head-on with the small sphere, which is moving downward with identical speed vb at that instant.       Immediately after the collision, the small sphere moves upward with speed vS and the large sphere has speed vL.

QUESTION: Please Derive an equation that relates vb, vS, and vL.
In this particular situation vL = 0.

anonymous · Accepted Answer

this link will help you get your answer. there's no space between h and ttp h ttp://dev.physicslab.org/Document.aspx?doctype=1&filename=questions_2012B2.xml