IB Physics HL A 2 20 Elastic and Inelastic Collisions Questions

Practise analysing HL collisions with energy loss, combined masses, pellets and complex momentum evidence.

Syllabus
First assessment 2025
Course
Physics HL
Level
HL

Exam points

  • Distinguish elastic and inelastic collisions of two bodies using momentum and kinetic-energy outcomes.
  • Calculate and interpret momentum, kinetic-energy retention or dissipation in collision evidence, stating conservation assumptions.

IB Physics HL A 2 20 Elastic and Inelastic Collisions Questions question 1

[Maximum number: 2]

This question is in two parts. Part 1 is about momentum and energy. Part 2 is about the de Broglie hypothesis and radioactive decay.

Jane and Joe are two ice skaters initially at rest on a horizontal skating rink. They are facing each other and Jane is holding a ball. Jane throws the ball to Joe who catches it. The speed at which the ball leaves Jane, measured relative to the ground, is 8.0 ms−18.0 \mathrm{~ms}^{-1}. The following data are available.

 Mass of Jane =52 kg Mass of Joe =74 kg Mass of ball =1.3 kg\begin{aligned} & \text { Mass of Jane }=52 \mathrm{~kg} \\ & \text { Mass of Joe }=74 \mathrm{~kg} \\ & \text { Mass of ball }=1.3 \mathrm{~kg} \end{aligned}

Use the data to calculate the

speed V of Joe relative to the ground immediately after he catches the ball.

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