All Flashcards
What are the key differences between elastic and inelastic collisions?
Elastic: Kinetic energy conserved, no energy transformation to heat/sound. | Inelastic: Kinetic energy not conserved, energy transformed to heat/sound/deformation.
Compare energy conservation in elastic vs. inelastic collisions.
Elastic: Total kinetic energy remains constant. | Inelastic: Total kinetic energy decreases.
Compare and contrast inelastic and perfectly inelastic collisions.
Inelastic: Objects may or may not stick together, KE not conserved. | Perfectly Inelastic: Objects stick together, KE not conserved, maximum KE loss.
Elastic vs. Inelastic: What happens to the objects after the collision?
Elastic: Objects bounce off each other. | Inelastic: Objects may bounce off each other or stick together (perfectly inelastic).
Elastic vs. Inelastic: Give examples.
Elastic: Billiard balls colliding. | Inelastic: Ball of clay hitting the floor.
What is an elastic collision?
A collision where the total kinetic energy of the system is conserved.
What is an inelastic collision?
A collision where the total kinetic energy of the system is not conserved; some kinetic energy is transformed into other forms of energy.
What is a perfectly inelastic collision?
A special case of inelastic collisions where the colliding objects stick together and move as one unit after the collision, resulting in maximum kinetic energy loss.
Define kinetic energy.
Energy that a body possesses by virtue of being in motion.
What does conservation of momentum mean?
In a closed system, the total momentum remains constant if no external forces act on the system.
What is the effect of friction during a collision?
Friction converts kinetic energy into heat and sound energy, reducing the total kinetic energy of the system.
What happens when kinetic energy is not conserved in a collision?
The collision is classified as inelastic.
What is the effect of objects sticking together after a collision?
It is a perfectly inelastic collision, resulting in maximum kinetic energy loss.
What causes kinetic energy to be transformed into sound during a collision?
The impact and vibrations between the colliding objects.
What is the effect of no external forces acting on a system during a collision?
The total momentum of the system is conserved.