Consider elastic collision of a particle of mass m moving with a velocity u with another particle of the same mass at rest. After the collision the projectile and the struck particle move in directions making angles theta₁ and theta₂ respectively with the initial direction of motion. The sum of the angles theta₁+theta₂ is:
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For elastic collision of equal masses:
• One particle initially at rest
• Velocities after collision are always perpendicular
Step 1: In an elastic collision of two identical masses where one is initially at rest, both momentum and kinetic energy are conserved.
Step 2: It can be shown from vector momentum conservation that the velocities after collision are perpendicular.
Step 3: Hence,
theta₁+theta₂ = 90^∘