Question

on a air track, a 400g glider moving to the right at 2.00m/s collides elastically with a 500g glider moving in the opposite direction at 3.00 m/s.
Find the velocity of the first glider after the collision

Find the velocity of the second glider after the collision

Answer 1

The results will depend upon whether the collision is head-on or not. You have not provided that information.

In any case, total momentum and kinetic energy will conserved.

Answer 2

Well, I do not have an answer, but lets say it IS a head on collision. How would this problem get solved?

Answer 3

M1 = 0.40kg, V1 = 2m/s.
M2 = 0.50kg, V2 = -3m/s.

Conservation of Momentum:
M1*V1 + M2*V2 = M1*V3 + M2*V4.
0.40*2 + 0.50*(-3) = 0.40*V3 + 0.50*V4,
Eq1: 0.4V3 + 0.5V4 = -0.70,
.
Conservation of KE Eq:
V3 = (V1(M1-M2) + 2M2*V2)/(M1+M2).
V3 = (2(0.4-0.5) + 1.0*(-3))/(0.4+0.5)= -3.56 m/s. = Velocity of M1.

In Eq1, replace V3 with (-3.56) and solve for V4.