JEE MainPhysicsCenter of MassNumerical+4 / −1
A ball of mass 10 kg moving with a velocity 10 m/s along the x-axis, hits another ball of mass 20 kg which is at rest. After the collision, first ball comes to rest while the second ball disintegrates into two equal pieces. One piece starts moving along y-axis with a speed of 10 m/s. The second piece starts moving at an angle of 30 with respect to the x-axis. The velocity of the ball moving at 30 with x-axis is x m/s. The configuration of pieces after collision is shown in the figure below. The value of x to the nearest integer is . 

Numerical answer
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Correct answer: 20
- Given data
- Mass of first ball:
- Initial velocity of first ball: along
- Mass of second ball: , initially at rest
- After collision, first ball comes to rest.
- Second ball breaks into two equal pieces, so each piece has mass
- One piece moves along with speed .
- Other piece moves at with the -axis with speed .
We use conservation of linear momentum in both and directions.
- Initial momentum
Initially, only the first ball is moving.
So total initial momentum is
Thus,
- Initial -momentum =
- Initial -momentum =
- Final momentum of pieces
After collision:
- First ball comes to rest, so its final momentum is .
For the two fragments of the second ball:
Piece 1
Mass , velocity along .
Its momentum is
Piece 2
Mass , speed , direction at to the -axis.
Since total initial -momentum is zero, this piece must have a negative -component to cancel the upward momentum of the first fragment.
So its momentum components are:
- Apply conservation of momentum in -direction
Initial -momentum is zero:
Using ,
- Check with -direction
Initial -momentum:
Final -momentum:
Substitute :
This matches the initial -momentum, so the answer is consistent.
- Final answer
To the nearest integer,
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