On a frictionless surface, a block of mass M moving at speed v collides elastically with another block of the same mass M which is initially at rest. After the collision, the first block moves at an angle θ to its initial direction and has a speed of . The second block's speed after the collision is:
Step 1: Given data
Step 2: Diagram
Step 3: Finding the speed of the second block
Let, be the speed of the second block.
As we know that the collision is elastic. And in an elastic collision, the kinetic energy is conserved after and before the collision.
So,
(since kinetic energy is ).
Therefore, the speed of the second block is .