cOLLISIONS 3.

11
3.7 PERFECTLY ELASTIC COLLISION IN Two DIMENSIONS. (i.e. Scattering)
)Laboratory Frame: Consider a particle of mass m, moving with a velocity n
the laboratory frame (incident particle) and let it have an elastic collision with a particle of
mass m, at rest (target particle). After collision, the incident particle (now called the scattered

with the initial direction and the target

particle) moves with avelocity making an angle ,
of with velocity v, making angle 0, with the initial direction
particle mass
m, moves a an

of motion of m, (Fig. 3.2).

Y-AXIS
(DRECTION OF
(AT REST MOTION OF m)
1
X-AXIS

BEFORE COLLISION)
(AFTER C0LLISION)
(a)
Fig. 3.2

Angle of scattering. The angle , is known as angle of scattering. It is defined as the angle
between the initial direction and final direction of the incident particle (or scattered particle)

after it has gone far away

It is defined as the angle between the
Recoilangle. The angle 0, is known as recoil angle.
initial direction ofthe incident particle.
direction oftarget (or recoil) particle after collision and
is the X-axis and also the plane containing
Suppose the initial path of the particle m, along
the principle of conservation of momentum
and is the XY plane. Then according to
m,V cos
6, tm, v,cos 6, m,4
sin 6, = 0 .ii)
and m, v, sin 6,-m, V,
of momentum is zero.
because before collision, the y-component
the total kinetic energy is also conserved.
As the collision is perfectly elastic,

contain four unknown quantities v,v, 0, and 0,. To find

The three equations (/), (ii) and (ii) known. Let us suppose 0, is known.
these equations at least one of these must be
a solution of and (ii) become
m, m. Hence equations (i), (i)
=

assume that m,
For simplicity, we futher 4 .iv)
,cos 6, + v cos 6, 0 .(V)
sin 8,-, sin 0,
=

+= ..(vi)

Rearranging we get
cos
6, ...(vii)
- cos 6, =V2
3 . 1 2 Mechanics

v, sin 6, v, sin 8,

Squaring and adding equations (vii) and (vii), we get

u+ cos - 2,, cos 8, + sin 6, =ý cos* 6, + sin?e,

or u +- 2u,cos, = v

But =uf- uj +f -2u cos = - v

or 2v 24y cos 6 y = u cos6
Velocity of scattered particle. Equation () gives the value of the
particle in terms of known quantities u, the velocity v, velocity of scate
scattering. of incident particle and 6, the ang
u, cos6
Velocity of recoil
particle. Substituting v, cose, in equation (ix), we get
=

u,
- u cos e, v =

or
( 1 cos e) uf sin e,
-

V2 =
sin e,
This relation
gives the values
of incident particle and the of v, the velocity of recoil particle in terms of the
6, angle of scattering. u,, veloc
Angle of recoil. Dividing Eq.
(vii) by Eq. (vii), we get
tan 6, = Sin e
4- Cos6
Substituting v, u, cos6,. we
have
tan , COs6, sin ,
=

cos6, sin 6,
cos* 6,
-

or u(1 cos 6) cot 6

- =
tan (t/2 6,)
-

tan6, tan (Tt/2-6,)

This relation
gives the value of 6, the 0 T/2-0,
Relation (xi) can be put in the angle of recoil in terms of . ri)
form 6, angle of
the
This relation shows that 6, +0, n/2. scattering
if the incident
at rest inthe laboratory
frame, both the
particle collides with a
particles target particle of
after an elastic collision. move in
directions equal mass
(i) Centre of Mass Frame
perpendicular to each othe

(a)Relation between seattering angle 6, in the

of mass frame.
Consider a particle of mass
laboratory
frame and 0 in the
centre
m, moving with a
frame and let it collide with a
particle of mass m, at rest, the velocity u the laboratory
in
After collision the incident collision being perfectly elastic.
particle moves with a velocity vi
making scattering angle ,
 COLLISIONS 3.13
with the initial direction and the target particle of mass m, moves with a velocity V2 making8
recoil angle B, with the initial direction of motion of m,. The initial path of m, is along the

X-axis and the plane containing u and is the X-Y plane as shown in Fig. 3.2 (b).

Let and v be the final velocities of the particles m, and m, after collision in the centre
of mass frame making an angle e with the X-axis as shown in Fig. 3.2 (b), then

=-Vem and = -Vem As ú =0, Vm =

m+n2
ie., Vem and uj have the same direction along X-axis. Therefore Vem has no component

along the Y-axis. The y-component of the final velocity of the first particle of mass m, is the
same in both the frames.

V sin 6 =v sin 6 .xii)

As the centre of mass has a velocity Vem along X-axis with respect to the Laboratory frame.

v, cos6,= v cos6+ Vem xiv)

Dividing (xii) by (xiv), we have
sin sin
tan6=
v cos+ em cos+cm

m
but em -u
m m
m 1 [For proof See article 3.5]
and =-m+m2
Dividing, we get
Vm.
m2
sin
tan6, .xv)
cos+
m2
in the laboratory frame and scattering
This gives the relation between scattering angle 6,
frame.
angle in the centre of mass
can be neglected in relation (ii), and
Special cases. () when m,
<<
m. In this case m,/m,
we get
sin 6
tan 6
tan cos
as compared to the target particle, the angles of
Thus if the incident particle Is very light
particle in the laboratory and C.M. system are very nearly equal.
Scatteringfor the incident
3.14 Mechanics
() When m,=m,. In this case m,/m,=|
sin 2sin 0/2 cos8/2= tan /2 or 6, =
0/2
Hence tan 0, =
1+cos 1+2cos0/2 -1 vi
Thus if the incident and target particle are of equal masses, the angle of scattering in th
the
laboratory system is half the angle of scattering in the C.M. system.
In other words, when takes the values from 0 to t, 6, varies from 0 to /2. Hence all the
particles in the laboratory frame are scattered in the forward hemisphere only.
(ii) When m, > m. The maximum value of tan6, ie.

-m7
tan &(max)
m
from which we get
sin &i(max
m
When m,> m, ie. >1 or
<1,0, has afinite positive value. Therefore, all
m2 particles
in the
laboratory frame are scattered in aforward cone.
(b) Relation between recoil
the centre of mass frame. angle 0, in the laboratory frame and
final velocity of the scattering angle in
The y-component of the e
the same in both the
frames. particle of mass m, is
Sin 6, v sin 0
As the centre of mass has a
velocity em along X- axis with
respect to laboratory frame,
v,cos, Vem-
cos
V2 Sin 0
tan6,= sin 0
Vcm - vcos

C - s

v2
Now
vu and u, =-V
or
cm = 1
u
Hence sin 0
tan62
1-cos0
2 sin /2 cos0/2
1-1+ 2sin'0/2 o tan
-or 20, =T-6
vii)
 COLLISIONS 3.15
The relation 26, = n-0 is independent of m, and m, and hence independent of their veloc
ties and energies.
Special case. When m, = m,, The relation between scattering angle 6, in the Laboratory
frame and the angle O in the centre of mass frame is given by

tan,= sin6
cos+
m2
If the two particles are of the same mass m, = m, then according to relation (iv)

, 0/2 or0 = 20,

Substituting in (xvi) we get

8, + 62= /2 . (viii)
20, T-20, or 6, t/2-6,
= = or

In other words in the laboratory frame the two particles of the same mass will move at right
angles to each other after collision, if one of these were at rest before collision.

Solved Examples
Example 1. (a) A particle of mass n, moving with a velocity u, collides head-on with
a particle of mass m, at rest, such that, after collision, they travel with velocities v, and

v, respectively. Ifthe colision be an elastic one, show that v, 2 1

(6) If the collision in (a) be assumed to be an inelastie one, calculate the common
velocity of the two particles after collision and the loss of kinetic energy due to collision.

Solution: (a) A "head-on' collision means that, after the collision, the two particles travel along
the same line.
Now, in accordance with the law of conservation of momentum, we have
m u + m , x0 = mvy tm,v2 Or, m,", =m,y, *m,v
...)
m
whence, V .(ii)

And, in accordance with the law of conservation of energy, we have

This gives .(iv)

Or, substituting the value of v, from relation (i) above, we have

u =
uf + " 2mh.m.
m
Or, 0 -2v2
m

Or 0-
m - 2 Or,y 2-o.