Two gliders, P and Q, are travelling towards each other on a straight, horizontal friction-free air track.
P has a mass of 1.50 kg1.50\text{ kg}1.50 kg and is moving to the right at a speed of 2.40 m s−12.40\text{ m s}^{-1}2.40 m s−1.
Q has a mass of 1.20 kg1.20\text{ kg}1.20 kg and is moving to the left at a speed of 1.80 m s−11.80\text{ m s}^{-1}1.80 m s−1.
The gliders are involved in an inelastic collision. They couple together upon impact and move as a single object.
State the physical quantity that is conserved in an elastic collision but not conserved in an inelastic collision.
Show that the speed of the joined gliders immediately after the collision is approximately 0.53 m s−10.53\text{ m s}^{-1}0.53 m s−1.
Calculate the magnitude of the impulse that acts on each glider during the collision. Give an appropriate unit for your answer.
Explain, without doing a calculation, how the motion of the gliders immediately after the collision would be different if the collision were perfectly elastic.
84 exam-style questions on AQA A Level Physics Force, energy and momentum, covering Scalars and vectors, Moments, Motion along a straight line, Projectile motion, Newton's laws of motion, Momentum, Work, energy and power, and Conservation of energy. Each one has a worked solution and a mark scheme showing where the marks go.