Past exam of the physics 1 paper of the University of Oxford / 2019 resit / 8 / iv / Solution

Set $q=1$ in the laboratory scattering circle formula. For $M_1>M_2$, a real outgoing speed requiresAlso $v_1\ge 0$ excludes the backward-angle interval: the square root is smaller than $|\cos {\theta }_1|$ when $M_2/M_1<1$, so both roots would be negative for $\cos {\theta }_1<0$. ThereforeAt this boundary the two possible speeds coincide, with $v_1/u_1=\sqrt{(M_1-M_2)/(M_1+M_2)}$. Geometrically the outgoing ray is tangent to the laboratory scattering circle. As $M_2/M_1\to 0$ the maximum tends to zero, while it approaches $\pi /2$ as the masses approach equality from $M_1>M_2$.