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JEE · NEET Physics

Class 11 · Chapter 6

Centre of Mass & Collisions

Overview, notes, short notes, formula sheet, daily practice problems, previous year questions, and videos for this chapter — all in one place.

Centre of Mass & Collisions JEE Notes

5 min read

Fully worked, JEE-style problems on variable mass systems, oblique collisions, and momentum conservation — the multi-step setups JEE Main and JEE Advanced actually test, going a level beyond the regular DPP.

Illustration 1 — Rocket Propulsion

A rocket with initial mass 1200 kg is launched vertically upward from rest. It burns fuel at a constant rate of 10 kg/s and ejects it downward at 2500 m/s relative to the rocket. Find the rocket's velocity 60 s after launch. (g = 10 m/s²)

Illustration 2 — The 90° Rule in Oblique Elastic Collisions

Two identical balls undergo an oblique elastic collision; one ball is initially at rest. After the collision, the ball that was originally moving travels at 30° from its original direction. At what angle does the previously-stationary ball move?

Illustration 3 — Variable Mass: A Falling Chain

A uniform chain of linear mass density 0.5 kg/m is held vertically with its lower end just touching the ground, then released. Find the normal reaction force from the ground on the pile of fallen chain when it has fallen through a height of 2 m and its falling end has speed 4 m/s. (g = 10 m/s²)

Illustration 4 — Recoil from an Explosion

A bomb at rest explodes into two fragments of mass 2 kg and 3 kg. The 3 kg fragment flies off at 12 m/s. Find the speed of the 2 kg fragment.

Illustration 5 — Coefficient of Restitution from Bounce Heights

A ball is dropped from a height of 5 m onto a hard floor and bounces back up to a height of 1.25 m. Find the coefficient of restitution.

Illustration 6 — General 1D Elastic Collision Formula

A 1 kg ball moving at 6 m/s collides head-on elastically with a stationary 2 kg ball. Find the velocity of each ball after the collision.

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