zuai-logo

Home

Leaderboard

    Learn
zuai-logo
  1. AP Physics 1
FlashcardFlashcard
Study GuideStudy GuideQuestion BankQuestion BankGlossaryGlossary

What are the differences between elastic and inelastic collisions?

Elastic: Kinetic energy conserved, objects bounce. | Inelastic: Kinetic energy not conserved, energy lost as heat/sound, objects may stick.

Flip to see [answer/question]
Flip to see [answer/question]
Revise later
SpaceTo flip
If confident

All Flashcards

What are the differences between elastic and inelastic collisions?

Elastic: Kinetic energy conserved, objects bounce. | Inelastic: Kinetic energy not conserved, energy lost as heat/sound, objects may stick.

What is the definition of momentum?

Momentum (p⃗\vec{p}p​) is a measure of how much "oomph" an object has in motion. It's the product of an object's mass (mmm) and its velocity (v⃗\vec{v}v).

What is the definition of impulse?

Change in momentum (Δp⃗\Delta \vec{p}Δp​), also known as impulse (J⃗\vec{J}J), is the result of a force acting over a period of time. It's the difference between the final and initial momentum.

What is the Impulse-Momentum Theorem?

Impulse is equal to the change in momentum. It's also equal to the force (F⃗\vec{F}F) multiplied by the time interval (Δt\Delta tΔt) over which the force acts: J⃗=Δp⃗=F⃗Δt\vec{J} = \Delta \vec{p} = \vec{F}\Delta tJ=Δp​=FΔt

What is the law of conservation of momentum?

In a closed system (no external forces), the total momentum remains constant. This means the total momentum before a collision equals the total momentum after the collision: p⃗initial=p⃗final\vec{p}_{initial} = \vec{p}_{final}p​initial​=p​final​

Define an elastic collision.

A collision in which kinetic energy is conserved. Objects bounce off each other without losing energy (idealized).

Define an inelastic collision.

A collision in which kinetic energy is not conserved. Some energy is lost as heat, sound, or deformation. Objects may stick together (perfectly inelastic).

What are the steps to analyze two-object collisions?

  1. Calculate the initial momentum of each object. 2. Calculate the total initial momentum of the system. 3. Apply the conservation of momentum: The total initial momentum equals the total final momentum. 4. Solve for the unknown.