A 27.0-g object moving to the right at 21.5 cm/s overtakes and collides elastically with a 11.0-g object moving in the same direction at 15.0 cm/s. Find the velocity of each object after the collision. (Take the positive direction to be to the right. Indicate the direction with the sign of your answer.)

final speed of the first object: 17.73 cm/s

final speed of the second object: 24.23 cm/s

Explanation:

Data:

mass of the first object, m1 = 27.0 g

mass of the second object, m2 = 11.0 g

initial speed of the first object, v1i = 21.5 cm/s

initial speed of the second object, v2i = 15 cm/s

final speed of the first object, v1f = ? cm/s

final speed of the second object, v2f = ? cm/s

Elastic collisions formula:

v1f = (m1 - m2)/(m1 + m2) * v1i + 2*m2/(m1 + m2) * v2i

v1f = (27 - 11)/(27 + 11) * 21.5 + 2*11/(27 + 11) * 15

v1f = 17.73 cm/s

v2f = 2*m1/(m1 + m2) * v1i + (m2 - m1)/(m1 + m2)*v2i

v2f = 2*27/(27 + 11) * 21.5 + (11 - 27)/(27 + 11)*15

v2f = 24.23 cm/s