CENTRE OF MASS, COLLISIONS

SPP - 4
1. A bullet of mass m = 50 gm strikes (  t  0)a sand bag of mass M = 5 kg hanging from a fixed point, with a

horizontal velocity vp . If bullet sticks to the sand bag then just after collision the ratio of final & initial kinetic
energy of the bullet is:
A) 10–2 B) 10–3 C) 10–6 D) 10–4
2. In the arrangement shown, the pendulum on the left is pulled aside. It is then released and
allowed to collide with other pendulum which is at rest. A perfectly inelastic collision occurs
and the system rises to a height h/4. The ratio of the masses (m 1 /m 2 ) of the pendulum is :

A) 1 B) 2 C) 3 D) 4
3. There are hundred identical sliders equally spaced on a frictionless track as shown in the
figure. Initially all the sliders are at rest. Slider 1 is pushed with velocity v towards slider 2.
In a collision the sliders stick together. The final velocity of the set of hundred stucked
sliders will be:

v v
A) B) C) zero D) v
99 100
4. A solid iron ball A of radius r collides head on with another stationary solid iron ball B of
radius 2r. The ratio of their spee ds just after the collision
(e = 0.5) is :
A) 3 B) 4 C) 2 D) 1
5. Two perfectly elastic balls of same mass m are moving with velocities u 1 and u 2 . They collide
head on elastically n times. The kinetic energy of the system finally is:
1m 2 1m 2 1 1
A)
2 n
u1 B)
2 n
 u1  u22  C) m  u12  u22 
2
D) mn  u12  u22 
2
6. A super-ball is to bounce elastically back and forth between two rigid walls at a distance d
from each other. Neglecting gravity and assuming the velocity of super -ball to be v 0
horizontally, the average force (in large time interval) being exerted by the su per-ball on one
wall is :
1 mv 20 mv 20 2mv 20 4mv20
A) B) C) D)
2 d d d d
7. A massive ball moving with speed v collides he ad-on with a tiny ball at rest having a mass
very less than the mass of the first ball. If the collision is elastic, then immediately after the
impact, the second ball will move with a speed approximately equal to:
A) v B) 2v C) v/2 D)  .
8. A sphere of mass m moving with a constant vel ocity hi ts another stationary sphere of the
same mass. If e is the coefficient of restitution, then ratio of speed of the first sphere to the
speed of the second sphere after head on collision will be:

#1
 1 e  1 e  e 1 e 1
A)   B)   C)   D)  
 1  e   1  e   e  1   e 1
9. A ball of mass 'm', moving with uniform speed, collides elastically with another stationary
ball. The incident ball will lose maximum kinetic energy when the mass of the stationary ball
is
A) m B) 2m C) 4m D) infinity
10. Ball 1 collides head on with an another identical ball 2 at rest. Velocity of ball 2 after collision becomes two
times to that of ball 1 after collision. The coefficient of restitution between the two balls is:
A) e = 1/3 B) e = 1/2 C) e = 1/4 D) e = 2/3
11. Two small particles of equal masses start moving in opposite directions from a point A in a horizontal circular
orbit. Their tangential velocities are v and 2v, respectively, as shown in the figure. Between collisions, the
particles move with constant speeds. After making how many elastic collisions, other than that at A, these
two particles will again reach the point A?
v A 2v

A) 4 B) 3 C) 2 D) 1
12. Five identical balls each of mass m and radius r are strung like beads at random and at rest along a smooth,
rigid horizontal thin rod of length L, mounted between immovable supports. Assume 10 r>L and that the
collision between balls or between balls and supports are elastic. If one ball is struck horizontally so as to
acquire a speed v, the average force felt by the support is

5mv 2 mv2 5mv2 mv 2

A) B) C) D)
L  5r L  10r L  10r L  5r
13. A particle of mass m collides with a stationary particle and continues to move at an angle of 45 with
respect to the original direction. The second particle also recoils at an angle of 45 to this direction. The
mass of the second particle is (collision is elastic)
m m
A) m B) 2m C) D)
2 2
14. A disk A of radius r moving on perfectly smooth surface at a speed v undergoes an elastic collision with an
identical stationary disk B. Find the velocity of the disk B after collision if the impact parameter is r/2 as
shown in the figure.

v 15 v v 3v
A) B) C) D)
4 4 2 2
15. Two objects of the same mass and with the same initial speed, moving in a horizontal plane, collide and
move away together at half their initial speed after the collision. The angle between the initial velocities of
the objects is
A) 120 B) 90 C) 60 D) 30
16. A ball of mass m strikes the inclined face of the wedge normally with speed v0. The wedge is at rest on a
rough horizontal surface before collision. The conservation of momentum is applicable for

#2
 (i) m as system, along Y’ (ii) M as system, along Y’
(iii) (M + m) as system, along X (iv) ( M + m) as system, along Y
Which of the following statement /statements is correct?
A) (i) only B) (i) and (ii) only
C) (iii) only D) (iii) and (iv) only
17. A sphere moving with velocity  strikes elastically with a wall moving towards the sphere with a velocity u. If
the mass of the wall is infinitely large, the work done by the wall during collision will be:
A) mu  u    B) 2mu  u    C) 2m  u    D) 2m  u   
18. A ball is projected with initial velocity u at angle  to the horizontal. Then horizontal displacement covered
by ball as it collides third time to the ground would be, if coefficient of restitution is e:

u2 sin2 u2 sin2 u2 sin2 u2 sin2

A) 1  e  B) e C) 1  e  D) 1  e  e 2 
g g g g
19. Two identical balls A and B lie on a smooth horizontal surface, which gradually merges into a curve to a
height 3.2m. Ball A is given a velocity 10m/sec to collide head on with ball B, which then takes up the curved
path. The minimum coefficient of Restitution ‘ e ; for the collision between A and B, in order that B reaches
the highest point C of curve.
(g = 10 m/sec2)

1 3 1 3
A) B) C) D)
2 5 4 4
20. A simple pendulum of length  hangs from a horizontal roof as shown in figure. The bob of mass m is given
an initial horizontal velocity of magnitude 5g as shown in fig.

1
The coefficient of restitution e  . After how many collisions the bob shall no longer come into contact
2
with the horizontal roof.
A) 1 B) 2 C) 4 D) none of these
21. A box is put on a scale which is adjusted to read zero when box is empty. A stream of pebbles is poured into
the box from a height h above it’s bottom at a rate  pebbles/sec. each pebble has a mass m. Consider the
collision between pebble and box to be completely inelastic. Find the reading of scale after t seconds of
falling of pebbles.

A) tmg B) mt 2gh 

C) m gt  2gh  
D) m gt  2gh 
dm
22. An ice block is melting at a constant rate  . Its initial mass is m0 and it is moving with velocity on a
dt
frictionless horizontal surface. The distance travelled by it till it melts completely is:
2m 0  m0  m0 
A) B) C) D) can’t be said
  2

#3
23. A ball strikes a smooth horizontal ground at an angle of 45 with the vertical. What cannot be the possible
angle of its velocity with the vertical after the collision? (Assume e  1)
A) 45 B) 30 C) 53 D) 60
1
24. A sphere strikes a wall and rebounds with coefficient of restitution . If it rebounds with a velocity of 0.1
3
m/sec at an angle of 60 to the normal to the wall, the loss of kinetic energy is:
1 2
A) 50% B) 33 % C) 40% D) 66 %
3 3
25. A body of mass ‘m’ is dropped from a height of ‘h’ simultaneously another body of mass 2m is thrown up
h
vertically with such a velocity  that they collide at the height . If the collision is perfectly inelastic, the
2
velocity at the time of collision with the ground will be:
5gh gh 10gh
A) B) gh C) D)
4 4 3
26. Two identical spheres move in opposite directions with speeds 1 and  2 and pass behind an opaque

screen, where they may either cross without touching (Event 1) or make an elastic head – on collision (Event
2)
A) We can never make out which event has occurred
B) We cannot make out which event has occurred only if 1  2
C) We can always make out which event has occurred
D) We can make out which event has occurred only if 1  2

27. Two billiard balls undergo a head – on collision. Ball 1 is twice as heavy as ball 2. Initially, ball 1 moves with a

speed  towards ball 2 which is at rest. Immediately after the collision, ball 1 travels at a speed of in the
3
same direction. What type of collision has occurred?
A) Inelastic B) Elastic
C) Completely inelastic D) Cannot be determined from the information given
28. As shown in the figure a body of mass m moving vertically with speed 3 m/s hits a smooth fixed inclined
plane and rebounds with a velocity vf in the horizontal direction. If  of inclined is 30 , the velocity vf will
be

A) 3 m/s B) 3m /s C) 1/ 3 m / s D) this is not possible

29. A ball of negligible size and mass m is given a velocity v0 when it is at the centre of a cart of mass M. Cart is
originally at rest. The coefficient of restitution between the walls A and B and the ball is e. The time taken by
the ball to hit first A and B then to reach the centre of the cart is

d 1 1 d 2 1 d 2 2 d 1 1 
A) 1    B) 1   2  C) 1   2  D)   2  1
v0  e e2  v0  e e  v0  e e  2v0  e e 

#4
30. A particle of mass m is moving along the x-axis with speed v when it collides with a particle of mass 2m
initially at rest. After the collision, the first particle has come to rest, and the second particle has split into
two equal – mass pieces that are shown in the figure. Which of the following statements correctly describes
the speeds of the two pieces ?    0 

A) Each piece moves with speed v.

B) Each piece moves with speed v/2
C) One of the pieces moves with speed v/2, the other moves with speed greater than v/2
D) Each piece moves with speed greater than v/2

#5
 KEY
1. D 2. A 3. B 4. C 5. C 6. B 7. B

8. A 9. A 10. A 11. C 12. B 13. A 14. A

15. A 16. A 17. B 18. D 19. B 20. D 21. D
22. B 23. B 24. D 25. D 26. A 27. B 28. B
29. B 30. D

#6
 CENTRE OF MASS, COLLISIONS
SPP - 5
1. A ball collides elastically with a massive wall moving towards it with a velocity of v. The collision occurs at a
height of h above ground level and the velocity of the ball just before collision is 2v in horizontal direction.
The distance between the foot of the wall and the point on the ground where the ball lands, at the instant
the ball lands, will be:

2h 2h 2h 2h
A) v B) 2v C) 3v D) 4v
g g g g

2. From the center of cylindrical room of radius r at flat circular floor, a particle is projected at angle  with the
floor in such a way that after three elastic collisions with the walls and the ceiling the particle returns to the
point of projection. If the particle remains in air for time T, find the speed of projection.

A)  3r / T  cos  B) 4r /  T cos  

C) Insufficient information D) Situation is impossible

3. A ball of mass m strikes the fixed inclined plane after falling through a height h. If it rebounds elastically, the
impulse on the ball is:

2 m 2gh
A) 2mcos  2gh B) 2mcos  gh C) D) 2m 2gh
cos 

4. AB is an L shaped obstacle fixed on a horizontal smooth table. A ball strikes it at A, gets deflected and

restrikes it at B. If the velocity vector before collision is v and coefficient restitution of each collision is ‘e’.
Then the velocity of ball after its second collision at B is

  
A) e2 v B) e 2 v C) ev D) data insufficient

5. An uniform chain of mass m and length l hangs by a thread and touches the surface of a table by its lower end.
#7
 The thread is cut at time t = 0. Which of the following graph best represents the relation between force exerted
by table on the chain with time (Assume the fallen part immediately comes at rest after collision with table
and do not form heap):

A) B)

C) D)
6. A billiard table whose length and width are as shown in the figure. A ball is placed at point
A. At what angle ‘  ’ the ball be projected so that after colliding with two walls, the ball will
fall in the pocket B. Assume that all collisions are perfectly elastic (neglect friction)

2a  c 2a  c c a c a
  cot 1   tan1   cot 1   cot 1
A) 2b B) 2b C) 2b D) b
7. A small ball falling vertically downward with constant velocity 4m/s strikes elastically a massive inclined cart
moving with velocity 4m/s horizontally as shown. The velocity of the rebound of the ball is

A) 4 2m/s B) 4 3m/s C) 4m/s D) 4 5m/s

8. In the figure shown a particle P strikes the inclined smooth plane horizontally and rebounds vertically. If the
angle  is 60 , then the coefficient of restitution is:

A)1/3 B) 1 / 3 C)1/2 D) 1

9. Two bodies of mass m1 = 3 kg and m2 = 2 kg move along mutually perpendicular directions with velocities 4
m/s and 3 m/s respectively as shown in the figure. As a result of collision the bodies stick together. The
amount of heat liberated is

#8
 A) 10 J B) 15 J C) 20 J D) 25 J

10. Four blocks of masses M1 , M 2 ,M 3 and M 4 are placed on a smooth horizontal surface along a straight line
as shown. It is given that M1  M 2  M 3  M 4 . All the blocks are initially at rest. M1 is given initial
velocity v0 towards right such that it will collide with M 2 . Consider all collisions to be perfectly elastic. The
speed of M4 after all collision are over is

A) v 0 B) 4 v 0 C) 8 v 0 D) 16 v 0

11. A small bal moving horizontally with a velocity 10 m/s, (as shown in figure) strikes a rough horizontal surface
having µ = 0.5. If the coefficient of restitution is e = 0.4. Horizontal component of velocity of ball after 1st
impact will be (g = 10 m/s2)

A) 10 m/s B) 8 m/s C) 3 m/s D) 4 m/s

12. A ball of mass 0.2 kg rests on a vertical post of height 5 m. A bullet of mass 0.01 kg, traveling with a velocity
V m/s in a horizontal direction, hits the centre of the ball. After the collision, the ball and bullet travel
independently. The ball hits the ground at a distance of 20 m and the bullet at a distance of 100 m from the
foot of the post. The initial velocity V of the bullet is

A) 250 m/s B) 250 2 m/s C) 400 m/s D) 500 m/s

13. A small ball on a frictionless horizontal surface moves towards right with a velocity V. It
collides with the wall and returns back and continues to and fro motion. If the average speed
2
for first to and fro motion of the ball is   V, then the coefficient of restitution of impact is:
3

A) 0.5 B) 0.8 C) 0.25 D) 0.75

14. A truck moving on a smooth horizontal surface with a uniform speed u is carrying stone-dust. If a mass m of
the stone-dust ‘leaks’ from the truck in a time t, the force needed to keep the truck moving at its uniform
speed is
m du m du
A) u B) m C) u   m  D)zero
t dt t dt

#9
15. A flexible chain of length 2m and mass 1kg initially held in vertical position such that its lower end just
touches a horizontal surface, is released from the rest at time t= 0. Assuming that any part of chain which
strikes the plane immediately comes to rest and that the portion of chain lying on horizontal surface does
1
not from any heap, the height of its centre of mass above surface at any instant t  (before it
5
completely comes to rest) is:

A) 1m B) 0.5m C) 1.5m D) 0.25m

16. A space craft having mass m0 is moving in gravity free space with speed v. To change its direction, the engine
is switched on which ejects fuel with speed u with respect to and always perpendicular to the direction of
m
the spacecraft. When its mass becomes 0
e
(A) the speed of the space craft is v (B) the speed of the space craft is ev

v v
(C) the angle turned is e (D) the angle turned is radians .
u u
17. The diagram shows the velocities just before collision of two smooth spheres of equal radius and mass. The
impact is perfectly elastic. The velocities just after impact are:

18. Three blocks are placed on smooth horizontal surface and lie on same horizontal straight line. Block 1 and
block 3 have mass m each, and block 2 has mass M(M > m). Block 2 and block 3 are initially stationary,
while block 1 is initially moving towards block 2 with speed v as shown. Assume that all collisions are head
M
on and perfectly elastic. What value of ensures that block 1 and block 3 have the same final speed?
m

A) 5  2 B) 5  2 C) 2  5 D) 3  5

19. A ball is released from position A and travels 5m before striking the smooth fixed inclined plane as shown. If
1
the coefficient of restitution in the impact is e = , the time taken by the ball to strike the plane again is
2

A) 1s B) 2 s C) 2.5 s D) 3 s

#10
20. A ball of mass 1kg strikes a heavy platform, elastically, moving upwards with a velocity of 5m/s. The speed of
the ball just before the collision is 10m/s downwards. Then the impulse imparted by
the platform on the ball is

A) 15 N – s B) 10 N – s C) 20 N – s D) 30 N – s

21. Two spheres A and B of equal mass are free to move on a smooth horizontal surface. A and B move towards
   
each other with velocity vectors ai b j and c i  d j respectively and collide when the line joining their
    
centres is parallel to i . After impact A and B have velocity vectors p i  q j and r i  s j respectively. The
coefficient of restitution between the spheres is e(<1).

A) b = q B) c = r C) a +c = p +r D) ea = p

22. A bob of mass 10 M is suspended through an inextensible string of length l. When the bob is at rest at the
equilibrium position, two particles of mass m each moving with velocity u making an angle 60° with the
string strike and get simultaneously attached to the bob. What is the value of impulsive tension (l) in the
string during the impact?

A) zero B) 2 mu C) mu D) 12 mu

23. In the arrangements shown in figure masses of each ball is 1 kg and mass of trolley is 4kg. In the figure shell
of mass 1 kg moving horizontally with velocity   6 m/sec collides with the ball and get stuck to it then its
maximum deflection of the thread (length 1.5m) with vertical is:

A) 53 B) 37 C) 30 D) 60

24. A ball A is falling vertically downwards with velocity 1. It strikes elastically with a wedge moving horizontally

1
with velocity  2 as shown in figure. What must be the ratio so that the ball bounces back in vertically
2
upwards direction relative to wedge?

1 1
A) 3 B) C) 2 D)
3 2
#11
25. Two point masses connected by an ideal string are placed on a smooth horizontal surface as shown in the
diagram. A sharp impulse of 10 kg-m/s is given to the 5 kg mass. The velocity of the 10 kg mass will be

A) 2 m / s B) 1 m / s C) 2 m/s D) zero
3 3

26. A small ball thrown with an initial velocity u direction at an angle  = 37° above the horizontal collides
u
inelastically  e  1  with a vertical massive wall moving with a uniform horizontal velocity towards ball.
 4 5
After collision with the wall, the ball returns to the point from where it was thrown. Neglect friction between
ball and wall. The time t from beginning of motion of the ball till the moment of its impact with the wall is
 3
 tan 37    .
 4

A) 3u B) 18u C) 54u D) 54u

5g 25g 125g 25g

27. On a horizontal smooth surface a disc is placed at rest. Another disc of same mass is coming
with impact parameter equal to its own radius. First disc is of radius r. What should be the
radius of coming disc so that after collision first disc moves at an angle 45° to the direction
of motion of incoming disc:
r

A) 2r B)

r 2 1  C)

2 1  D) r 2
28. A wedge of mass M rests on a horizontal surface. The inclination of the wedge is  . A ball of mass ‘m’
moving horizontally with speed ‘u’ hits the inclined face of the wedge inelastically and after hitting slides up
the inclined face of the wedge. The velocity of the wedge just after the collision is (Neglect any friction):

musin  mucos  musin2  mucos 2 

A) B) C) D)
M  msin  M  mcos  M  msin2  M  m cos 2 

29. A is a fixed point at a height h above a perfectly inelastic smooth surface. A light extensible string of length l
(l >h) has one end connected to A and other to a heavy particle as shown in figure. The particle is held at the
level of A with the string tight and released from rest. The height above the plane, where particle is again
instantaneously at rest is S, then which is incorrect?

A) velocity of particle on the surface is  2gh cos 

#12
 B) velocity of particle when it leaves surface  2gh cos 2 
h5
C) S  D) None of these
4
30. Two identical balls are dropped from the same height onto a hard surface, the second ball being released
exactly when the first ball collides with the surface. If the first ball has made two more collisions by the time
the second one collides. Then the coefficient of restitution between the ball and the surface satisfies:
3 1 3 1
A) e  0.5 B) e  0.5 C) e  D) e 
2 2

#13
 KEY
1. C 2. B 3. A 4. C 5. B 6. A 7. D

8. A 9. B 10. C 11. C 12. D 13. A 14. A

15. D 16. C 17. D 18. C 19. A 20. D 21. A
22. C 23. B 24. B 25. B 26. C 27. C 28. C
29. D 30. D

#14