Oblique elastic collisions of two smooth round objects

Abstract

The scattering angles and speeds resulting from an off-centre elastic collision of a smooth puck or sphere incident on a second one at rest on a frictionless surface are analysed in terms of the impact parameter and mass ratio. Particular attention is paid to finding simple special cases for the final angles or the relations between them that could be explored in homework problems or laboratory experiments. The level of analysis is accessible to an introductory undergraduate physics course.