Question

3.3.2 test (cst): forces
question 5 of 20
a 0.5 kg basketball moving 5 m/s to the right collides with a 0.05 kg tennis ball moving 30 m/s to the left. after the collision, the tennis ball is moving 34 m/s to the right. what is the velocity of the basketball after the collision? assume an elastic collision occurred.
a. 1.4 m/s to the left
b. 11.4 m/s to the right
c. 1.4 m/s to the right
d. 11.4 m/s to the left

Explanation:

Step1: Set up the conservation of momentum formula

The conservation of momentum formula is \(m_1v_{1i}+m_2v_{2i}=m_1v_{1f}+m_2v_{2f}\). Let the right - hand direction be positive. So \(m_1 = 0.5\space kg\), \(v_{1i}=5\space m/s\), \(m_2 = 0.05\space kg\), \(v_{2i}=- 30\space m/s\), \(v_{2f}=34\space m/s\).

Step2: Substitute the values into the formula

Substitute the values into \(m_1v_{1i}+m_2v_{2i}=m_1v_{1f}+m_2v_{2f}\):

$$
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Answer:

A. \(1.4\space m/s\) to the left