Head-on Collision of Equal Masses

Work in progress by mtikhonovsky3

Main Idea

A collision is a brief interaction between large forces. A head-on collision can be between two carts rolling or sliding on a track with low fricton or billiard balls, hockey pucks, or vehicles hitting each other head-on.

In terms of the two carts of equal masses example, the two carts are the system. The Momentum Principle tells us that after the collision the total final x momentum p_1xf + p_2xf must equal the initial total x momentum p_1xi. Before the collision, nonzero energy terms included the kinetic energy of cart 1, K_1i, and the internal energies of both carts. After the collision there is internal energy of both carts and kinetic energy of both carts, K_1f + K_2f.

A Mathematical Model

Head-on Collisions of Equal Masses can be based off the Fundamental Principle of Momentum:

[math]\displaystyle{ {\frac{d\vec{p}}{dt}}_{system} = \vec{F}_{net}{Δt} }[/math]

where p is the momentum of the system, F is the net force from the surroundings, Δt is the change in time for the process. Energy Principle:

[math]\displaystyle{ {E}={Q}+{W} }[/math] where E is the total energy, Q is the heat given off, and W is the work done.

If we input the various types of energy in for the total energy such as kinetic, potential, and internal we get

Based off of the Momentum Principle and the Energy Principle, we will explore Head-on Collisions of Equal Masses in two different scenarios: elastic and maximally inelastic.

1. Elastic Head-on Collisions of Equal Masses

Momentum Principle

[math]\displaystyle{ {p_{xf}}={p_{xi}}+{F_{net,x}}{Δt} }[/math]

[math]\displaystyle{ {p_{1xf}}+{p_{2xf}}={p_{1xi}}+{0} }[/math]

Energy Principle

[math]\displaystyle{ {E_f}={E_i}+{W}+{Q} }[/math]

[math]\displaystyle{ ({K_{1f}}+{E_{int1f}})+({K_{1f}}+{E_{int2f}})=({K_{1i}}+{E_{int1i}})+({K_{2i}}+{E_{int2i}})+{0}+{0} }[/math]

[math]\displaystyle{ {K_{1f}}+{K_{2f}}={K_{1i}}+{0} }[/math]

Since K=p²/2m, we can combine the momentum and energy equations:

[math]\displaystyle{ {\frac{p^{2}_{1xf}}{2m}}+{\frac{p^{2}_{2xf}}{2m}}= {\frac({p_{1xf}+{p}_{2xf}})^2{2m} }[/math]

A Computational Model

How do we visualize or predict using this topic. Consider embedding some vpython code here Teach hands-on with GlowScript

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