Multiple elastic collisions are analyzed that occur between an incident mass M1, a target mass M2, and a single intermediating hinged lever of moment of inertia I that bounces back and forth between the two masses, transferring angular momentum and energy with each double collision until, if I is chosen correctly, 100% of the energy has been transferred from M1 to M2 in N double collisions, where N=1, or 2, or 3, or ... . The model was inspired by the mechanical transformer, designed and built by Ansbacher, that employs two nearly massless levers as intermediaries so as to achieve nearly complete energy transfer between two masses on an air track.
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© 1989 American Association of Physics Teachers.
1989
American Association of Physics Teachers
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