Back to Problems
AP Physics C (Mech)
Momentum
OS-UP-9-58 · OpenStax University Physics Volume 1

Collisions in Multiple Dimensions (Problem 58)

A proton traveling at scatters elastically from an initially stationary alpha particle and is deflected at an angle of 85° with respect to its initial velocity. Given that the alpha particle has four times the mass of the proton, what percent of its initial kinetic energy does the proton retain after the collision?