🎱Elastic collision vs Inelastic collision💥
When objects collide, momentum is always conserved, but kinetic energy may or may not be. That distinction defines the two collision types.
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🎱Elastic collision
- ✓Total kinetic energy is conserved
- ✓Total momentum is also conserved
- ✓Objects bounce apart without sticking
- ✓An idealized case, closely seen in gas particles
- ✓No energy is lost to heat, sound or deformation
💥Inelastic collision
- ✓Kinetic energy is not conserved
- ✓Total momentum is still conserved
- ✓Objects may deform or stick together
- ✓Energy is lost to heat, sound and deformation
- ✓A perfectly inelastic collision leaves objects joined
Verdict
Momentum is conserved in every collision, but only elastic collisions also conserve kinetic energy. Most real-world collisions are inelastic, losing energy to heat, sound and deformation.
Frequently asked
Is momentum conserved in inelastic collisions?+
Yes. Momentum is conserved in all collisions; only kinetic energy may be lost.
Are real collisions elastic or inelastic?+
Most everyday collisions are inelastic, because some energy always converts to heat or sound.
What is a perfectly inelastic collision?+
One where the colliding objects stick together and move as a single combined mass afterward.
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