Two metal balls with the same mass hang so that they are touching each other. The ball on the left is pulled to the side and released what will happen when it swings back and hits the ball on the right.
When the left ball is pulled to the side and released, it will swing back towards the right ball due to the force of gravity acting on it. As it swings back, it will gain momentum and kinetic energy.
When the left ball collides with the right ball, a few things can happen depending on the circumstances:
1. Elastic Collision: If the collision between the two balls is perfectly elastic, meaning that there is no loss of kinetic energy, the left ball will transfer its momentum and some amount of energy to the right ball. As a result, both balls will move apart after the collision, swinging back and forth multiple times with gradually decreasing amplitudes until they eventually come to rest.
2. Inelastic Collision: If the collision between the two balls is inelastic, meaning that there is some loss of kinetic energy, the left ball may transfer its momentum to the right ball, but they will stick together after the collision. This occurs if the balls are made of a material that allows them to deform or if there is some adhesive force between them.
Overall, the specific outcome of the collision depends on various factors such as the materials of the balls, their masses, and the angle at which the left ball is pulled before release.