An elastic collision is when two objects collide and bounce back with little or no deformation. For example, two rubber balls bouncing together would be elastic. Two cars hitting each other would be inelastic, as the cars crumple, and do not bounce back. In a perfectly elastic collision (the simplest case), no kinetic energy is lost, and so the kinetic energy of the two objects after the collision is equal to their total kinetic energy before the collision. Elastic collisions occur only if there is no net conversion of kinetic energy into other forms (heat, sound). The other rule to remember when working with elastic collisions is that momentum is conserved.
Elastic collision
Questions and Answers
Q: What is an elastic collision?
A: An elastic collision is when two objects collide and bounce back with little or no deformation.
Q: What is an example of an elastic collision?
A: Two rubber balls bouncing together would be an example of an elastic collision.
Q: What is an inelastic collision?
A: An inelastic collision is when two objects collide and crumple, and do not bounce back.
Q: What is an example of an inelastic collision?
A: Two cars hitting each other would be an example of an inelastic collision.
Q: What happens in a perfectly elastic collision?
A: In a perfectly elastic collision, no kinetic energy is lost, and so the kinetic energy of the two objects after the collision is equal to their total kinetic energy before the collision.
Q: How do elastic collisions occur?
A: Elastic collisions occur only if there is no net conversion of kinetic energy into other forms like heat or sound.
Q: What is conserved in an elastic collision?
A: In an elastic collision, momentum is conserved.