Five Billiard Balls Are in Contact and at Rest on a Wire

question 53

Multiple Choice

Five billiard balls are in contact and at rest on a wire that passes through their centers. Two billiard balls are slammed into one end of the row of five at a velocity . If the balls are free to slide but not roll and if the collision is elastic, which of the following is most likely to take place?

• A) One ball at each end goes off with a speed v.
• B) One ball on the side opposite the striking balls goes off with a speed of 2v.
• C) The five balls move off together with a speed of 2v/5.
• D) Two balls on the side opposite the striking balls go off with a speed of v.
• E) None of these will occur.

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Definitions:

Oligodendroglia

Glial cells in the central nervous system that produce myelin, a substance that insulates axons to increase the speed at which neural impulses propagate.

Myelin

The fatty substance that surrounds the axon of some nerve cells, forming an insulating layer that speeds up signal transmission.

Oligodendroglial Cells

Oligodendroglial cells are a type of glial cell in the central nervous system responsible for producing and maintaining the myelin sheath, which insulates nerve fiber to enhance signal transmission.

Schwann Cells

Glial cells located in the peripheral nervous system, responsible for the myelination of neuronal axons, thereby increasing the speed of electrical impulses.