If a free, stationary, long bar of diameter D and length L is struck coaxially by another shorter bar (d, l) of the same material, travelling at a velocity V, compressive stress pulses of constant magnitude are created instantaneously in the two bars and travel through the same. The compressive pulse in the shorter striker bar gets to the free end and gets reflected as a tensile stress pulse, that travels back to the impact face nullifying the oncoming compressive pulse.  At the instant when this reflected tensile pulse reaches the interface of the two bars, the striker bar becomes stress-free and separates from the struck bar