key term - Inelastic Collision

Definition

An inelastic collision is a type of collision in which the total kinetic energy of the colliding objects is not conserved. In an inelastic collision, the colliding objects stick together or undergo a change in shape, resulting in a loss of kinetic energy that is converted into other forms of energy, such as heat or sound.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. In an inelastic collision, the colliding objects stick together or undergo a change in shape, resulting in a loss of kinetic energy.
2. The total momentum of the system is conserved in an inelastic collision, even though the total kinetic energy is not.
3. Inelastic collisions are often used to measure the impulse, which is the change in momentum of an object over a given time interval.
4. The degree of inelasticity in a collision is often described by the coefficient of restitution, which ranges from 0 (completely inelastic) to 1 (completely elastic).
5. Inelastic collisions are important in various fields, such as car safety, sports, and engineering, where energy dissipation is a crucial factor.

Review Questions

• Explain how the principle of conservation of momentum applies to inelastic collisions.
  • In an inelastic collision, the total momentum of the system is conserved, even though the total kinetic energy is not. This means that the sum of the momenta of the colliding objects before the collision is equal to the sum of the momenta of the combined object after the collision. This is a fundamental principle that allows us to analyze and predict the outcomes of inelastic collisions, which are important in various applications, such as car safety and sports.
• Describe how the coefficient of restitution is used to characterize the degree of inelasticity in a collision.
  • The coefficient of restitution is a measure of the degree of inelasticity in a collision. It ranges from 0 to 1, where 0 represents a completely inelastic collision (where the colliding objects stick together) and 1 represents a completely elastic collision (where the colliding objects bounce off each other without any loss of kinetic energy). The coefficient of restitution can be used to predict the relative velocities of the colliding objects after the collision, which is important in applications such as sports and engineering, where energy dissipation is a crucial factor.
• Analyze the role of inelastic collisions in the measurement of impulse, and explain how this relationship can be used to study the forces involved in a collision.
  • Inelastic collisions are often used to measure the impulse, which is the change in momentum of an object over a given time interval. The impulse is equal to the force acting on an object multiplied by the time over which the force acts. By analyzing the change in momentum of the colliding objects in an inelastic collision, we can infer the impulse and, consequently, the forces involved in the collision. This relationship is important in various fields, such as car safety and sports, where understanding the forces acting on objects during a collision is crucial for designing safer and more effective systems.

Related terms

Elastic Collision:

An elastic collision is a type of collision in which the total kinetic energy of the colliding objects is conserved. In an elastic collision, the objects bounce off each other without any loss of kinetic energy.

Momentum:

Momentum is the product of an object's mass and velocity, and it is a vector quantity that describes the object's motion.

Conservation of Momentum:

The principle of conservation of momentum states that in a closed system, the total momentum before a collision is equal to the total momentum after the collision.