CIRCULAR BILLIARD

We analyze the problem of a perfectly inelastic billiard on a circular table with exactly one permitted bounce. We present a new and intuiti vely appealing geometric derivation of the solution. Analyzing the sol ution with respect to the number of permitted paths for any given scen ario, we find an analytical expression for a separatrix between region s with two and four solutions. We identify and discuss symmetry aspect s of the problem and singular points on the billiard table. Finally, w e apply the results to an optical experiment which can be performed in any classroom.