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CAIE A-Level Physics AS 3.3.3 That for an Elastic Collision Total Kinetic Energy Is Conserved and the Questions

Use impulse as the change in momentum and relate impulse to force acting over a time interval.

Syllabus
2028–2030
Course
Physics 9702
Level
AS

Exam points

  • Use impulse as the change in momentum and relate impulse to force acting over a time interval.

CAIE A-Level Physics AS 3.3.3 That for an Elastic Collision Total Kinetic Energy Is Conserved and the Questions question 1

[Maximum number: 3]

Question (a)

(a)

Two blocks travel directly towards each other along a horizontal, frictionless surface. The blocks collide, as illustrated in Fig. 3.1.

Fig. 3.1

Fig. 3.1

Block A has mass 3 M and block B has mass M.
Before the collision, block A moves to the right with speed 0.40 ms−10.40 \mathrm{~ms}^{-1} and block B moves to the left with speed 0.25 ms−10.25 \mathrm{~ms}^{-1}.
After the collision, block A moves to the right with speed 0.20 m s−10.20 \mathrm{~m} \mathrm{~s}^{-1} and block B moves to the right with speed v.

[ 3 ]

Question (i)

(i)

Calculate, for the blocks,
1. the relative speed of approach,
relative speed of approach = ms−1\mathrm{m s}^{-1}
2. the relative speed of separation.
relative speed of separation = ms−1\mathrm{m s}^{-1}

[ 2 ]

Question (ii)

(ii)

Use your answers in (b)(iii) to state and explain whether the collision is elastic or inelastic.

[ 1 ]
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