Consider a head-on collision between two objects. Object 1, which has mass m1, is initially in motion, and collides head-on with object 2, which has massm2and is initially at rest. Which of the following statements about the collision are true?

(1)p1,initial=p1,final+p2,final.

(2)|p1,final|<|p1, initial|.

(3) Ifm2m1, then|Δp1|>|Δp2|.

(4) Ifm1m2, then the final speed of object 2 is less than the initial speed of object 1.

(5) Ifm2m1, then the final speed of object 1 is greater than the final speed of object 2.

Short Answer

Expert verified

The correct statements are (1), (2) and (5).

Step by step solution

01

Given data 

A head on collision of object 1 and object 2 having mass m1and m2which were in rest.

02

The concept of momentum principle

A net force affects the momentum of an object whose momentum is the product of mass and velocity, according to the momentum principle.

Fnet=ΔpΔt

03

Step 3:The correct statements and the reasons 

The statement (1) is correct as:

p1,initial=p1,final+p2,final

Collision of will follow the momentum principle. So, the momentum before collision is equal to the momentum after collision, andp2,initial=0.

The statement (2) is correct as:

p1,final<p1,initial

From the momentum principle, the amount ofp1,initialis equal top1,final+p2,final

The statement (2) is correct.

(3) The statement is,m2>m1 , thenΔP1>ΔP2 .

Break it down into terms so we can see if the equation is true.

ΔP1=ΔP2m1v1-u1=m2v2-u2m1v1-u1=m2v2

Ifm2>m1, thenΔP1<ΔP2, which means the statement is not true.

(4) Let us check if the final speed of object 2 is less than the initial speed of the object

ΔP1=ΔP2m1v1-u1=m2v2-u2m1v1-u1=m2v2v2=m1v1-u1m2

Here, ifm1>m2, the final speed of the second object is greater than the first object's initial speed. This will make the statement, not true.

(5) Let us check if the final speed of object 1 is greater than the final speed of the object 2 .

ΔP1=ΔP2m1v1-u1=m2v2-u2m1v1-u1=m2v2v2=m1v1-u1m2

Here, ifm2>m1, the final speed of the first object is greater than the second object's final speed. This will make the statement, true.

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