Particle A and particle B are held together with a compressed spring between them. When they are released, the spring pushes them apart and they then fly off in opposite directions, free of the spring. The mass of A is 3.00 times the mass of B, and the energy stored in the spring was 65 J. Assume that the spring has negligible mass and that all its stored energy is transferred to the particles. Once that transfer is complete, what are the kinetic energies of (a) particle A and (b) particle B?

My wrong answers were 10.8333 and 54.1667

1 answer

total momentum still = 0
A goes at speed u left
B goes at speed v to right
3 m u = m v
so
v = 3 u

(1/2) (3m)u^2 + (1/2)mv^2 = 65
m [ 3 u^2 + v^2 ] = 130
m[ 3u^2 + 9u^2 ] = 130
12 m u^2 = 130
m u^2 = 10.8
so
(1/2) m u^2 = 5.4 Joules
(1/2)(3mu^2) = 16.25 Joules = Ke of A
(1/2) mv^2 = (1/2) m (9 u^2 ) = 9*5.4 = 48.75 Joules = Ke of B