A theoretical analysis of the influence of the Hertz elastic contact on a three body chain collision is presented. Despite the elastic character of the collision, the final velocity of each particle depends on the interaction between them. Two elastic spheres falling together, one on top of the other under the action of gravity, and then colliding with the ground, are studied in detail.
Topics
Elastic collisions
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© 2004 American Association of Physics Teachers.
2004
American Association of Physics Teachers
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