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Puck momentum

  1. Feb 26, 2010 #1

    The drawing shows a collision between two pucks on an air-hockey table. Puck A has a mass of 0.0160 kg and is moving along the x axis with a velocity of +7.91 m/s. It makes a collision with puck B, which has a mass of 0.0320 kg and is initially at rest. The collision is not head-on. After the collision, the two pucks fly apart with the angles shown in the drawing. Find the speed of (a) puck A and (b) puck B.


    2. Relevant equations


    3. The attempt at a solution

    is it the y-components are equal to each other or the x-component?

    .016*7.91*sin65=.032*x*sin37 ?
  2. jcsd
  3. Feb 26, 2010 #2


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    The components of the momentum in the x and y directions are separately conserved. Which component of the system's momentum is zero before the collision? Whenyou figure this out, you will be able to answer your question.
  4. Feb 26, 2010 #3
    y is 0

    .016*(.016*7.91)tan65+.032*x*tan37=0 ?

    .18/cos37=.225 for b?

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