Question

According to the definition of oblique collision in the paragraph, which of the following collisions cannot be oblique?

• A. Collision between two point masses.
• B. Collision between two rings of same radius.
• C. Collision between two rings of different radius.
• D. Collision between a particle and a ring of finite radius.

Answer 1

Answer: (A)

Collision between two point masses.

For an oblique collision to take place, the initial velocities of the body must not be in the direction of line joining their centre of masses and to do so, the bodies must have some dimension.

As point masses do not have dimensions, thus the collision between them is always a head-on collision.