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Name: Bob
Status: educator
Age: 40s
Location: N/A
Country: N/A
Date: 1999
Question:
In the desk top simulation that was popular a few years ago of the 5 small metal balls attached by strings making each ball a pendulum where the balls touched when at rest, how is the law of converation of momentum demonstrated? (One ball is allowed to swing into the other 4 at rest and the ball on the oposite end carrys the swing onward). Why don't all four balls move at 1/4 the speed of the moving ball?

Replies:
This has been answered in our archive:

http://www.newton.dep.anl.gov/askasci/phy99/phy99487.htm

Thanks for using NEWTON BBS
Nate Unterman

That would have the same momentum (mv) but not the same energy (mv^2)/2.

Tim Mooney


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