What is the difference between an elastic and inelastic collision
In all collisions momentum is conserved. However in elastic collision kinetic energy is also conserved, molecules colliding is an elastic collision.If kinetic energy is not conserved that then the collision is inelastic, two cars colliding head on is an example of an inelastic collision.You need to calculate the total kinetic energy before and after to determine is a collision is elastic or inelastic.
EH
Related Physics A Level answers
All answers ▸Explain what is meant by tensile stress and tensile strain.
Which are the types of carrier movements and how are they activated
How can an object be accelerating if it does not change in speed?
Two electrons are a distance r apart, the first electron exerts a force F on the second electron. a) What force does the second electron exert on the first? b) In terms of r, at what distance is the force that the first electron exerts on the second F/9?