When the cue ball hits the object ball at exactly half ball.?

Question

Do they diverge at equal angles,or would the object ball go off at say 45 degrees, and the cue ball at say 47 degrees or whatever. Assuming no spin or side on the cue ball and not a forcing shot. Both balls being the same diameter as in snooker.

Answer 1

As the first poster said, you cannot determine this exactly because there are many factors that effect the exact angle the balls will travel at. But you can approximate, and when I talk about the angles in the rest of the post, you can assume I'm always speaking of an approximation.

After contact, the object ball will pretty much always go at a 45 degree angle. Any spin imparted to it by the cue ball or friction with the table can cause it to veer off line, but in general it will follow a 45 degree angle.

The cue ball may not, and that is determined mainly by if it is sliding or rolling when it contacts the object ball. If the cue ball is sliding along the table when it comes in contact with the object ball, it will closely follow it's ideal path, which is a 45 degree angle. Now, this does not mean that the cue ball has no spin on it. The cue ball can have follow, draw, or english (sidespin) on it and still initially go off at a 45 degree angle, since the ball can be sliding and spinning at the same time. After the contact takes place, any spin imparted on the cue ball can start to affect it's direction of travel, and send it off that 45 degree line.

If the ball is rolling forward when it contacts the object ball, it will follow a path that is approximately 30 degrees from it's original path. This is because the momentum of the cue ball rolling forward almost immediately overrides the physical reaction between the object ball and cue ball. This phenomenon is called the "30 degree rule."

If you'd like to know more about the physics of pool ball collisions, check the link below.

Answer 2

Dead center Axis ? 45 deg

Answer 3

Too many variables to consider to give an accurate answer on this one.

You have to consider factors like chalk, imparting spin, baize pile, dirt & dust and the fact the balls aren't perfect spheres

Answer 4

the ball that is hit will move forward as  newtons third law

states For every force there is an equal, but opposite, force".

or as we all know it

for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction

Answer 5

If the cue ball is hit 70 per cent of its height above the table it will roll naturally. Top-spinning or backspinning or skidding cue balls will give quite different results.  

If a naturally rolling cue ball hits an object ball at half ball the object ball will deflect 30 degrees and the cue ball will deflect 34 degrees. Speed has little effect, maybe even none, on the angle of deflection of a naturally rolling ball.

Answer 6

Each ball would go off at 45 degrees from the original direction of the white ball. Giving a 90 degree angle between the paths of both balls.

This is only if you hit the centre of the white ball at a steady pace. If you strike the ball harder,there will be a bounce off factor to the path of the white,similar to playing the shot with bottom.The object ball will still go off at 45 degrees.