Consider a head-on collision between two particles of masses m1 and m2. The initial speeds of the particles are u1 and u2 in the same direction. The collision starts at t = 0 and the particles interact for a time interval ∆t. During the collision, the speed of the first particle vanes as
Find the speed of the second particle as a function of time during the collision.
Given that two particles of masses m1 and m2, has initial speed u1 and u2 respectively.
The collision starts at t = 0 and the particles interact for a time interval ∆t.
During the collision the speed of the two particles of masses m1 and m2 are u (t) and u’ respectively.
Now from law of conservation of momentum
Since,
Then,
So, the speed of the second particle as a function of time during the collision will be