A billiard ball with a mass of 1.5kg is moving at 25m/s and strikes a second ball with a mass of 2.3 kg that is motionless. Find the velocity of the second ball if the first ball stops when it strikes the second ball.

The velocity of the second ball after the collision will be 16.3 m/s.

Step-by-Step Explanation:

Law of conservation of momentum states that the total momentum of an isolated remains the same before and after the collision.

Let: mass of the first ball = m1 = 1.5 kg

mass of the second ball = m2 = 2.3 kg

Momentum before the collision:

velocity of the first ball = v1 = 25 m/s

velocity of the second ball = v2 = 0 m/s

[tex] Initial momentum = m1v1 + m2v2 = 1.5*25 + 2.3*0 = 37.5 kgm/s [/tex]

Momentum after the collision:

velocity of the first ball = v1 = 0 m/s

velocity of the second ball = v2 = x

[tex]momentum after the collision = m1v1 + m2v2 = 1.5*0 + 2.3*x = 2.3*x[/tex]

According to law of conservation of momentum:

Initial momentum = Momentum after collision

37.5 = 2.3*x

⇒ x = 37.5/2.3

x = 16.3 m/s