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Collisions of three billiard balls

Authors
  • Cross, Rod
Type
Published Article
Journal
Physics Education
Publisher
IOP Publishing
Publication Date
Aug 23, 2022
Volume
57
Issue
6
Identifiers
DOI: 10.1088/1361-6552/ac8517
Source
ioppublishing
Keywords
Disciplines
  • Frontline
License
Unknown

Abstract

Newton’s cradle is commonly used to show that a collision of three or more identical balls in a row is one that conserves momentum and kinetic energy. An experiment is described where one billiard ball collides at an angle with another two at rest. The collision also conserves momentum and kinetic energy and has several surprisingly simple outcomes where two of the balls emerge at right angles to each other.

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