Answer:
1. False 2) greater than. 3) less than 4) less than
Explanation:
1)
- As the collision is perfectly elastic, kinetic energy must be conserved.
- The expression for the final velocity of the mass m₁, for a perfectly elastic collision, is as follows:
- As it can be seen, as m₁ ≠ m₂, v₁f ≠ 0.
2)
- As total momentum must be conserved, we can see that as m₂ > m₁, from the equation above the final momentum of m₁ has an opposite sign to the initial one, so the momentum of m₂ must be greater than the initial momentum of m₁, to keep both sides of the equation balanced.
3)
- The maximum energy stored in the in the spring is given by the following expression:
- where A = maximum compression of the spring.
- This energy is always the sum of the elastic potential energy and the kinetic energy of the mass (in absence of friction).
- When the spring is in a relaxed state, the speed of the mass is maximum, so, its kinetic energy is maximum too.
- Just prior to compress the spring, this kinetic energy is the kinetic energy of m₂, immediately after the collision.
- As total kinetic energy must be conserved, the following condition must be met:
- So, it is clear that KE₂f < KE₁₀
- Therefore, the maximum energy stored in the spring is less than the initial energy in m₁.
4)
- As explained above, if total kinetic energy must be conserved:
- So as kinetic energy is always positive, KEf₂ < KE₁₀.
