Question

Suppose you have an isolated system in which two objects about to collide have equal and opposite momenta. Part A If the collision is totally inelastic, what can you say about the motion after the collision? If the collision is totally inelastic, what can you say about the motion after the collision? The objects will move in one direction with different velocities. The objects will stick together and move with common final velocity. The objects will move in opposite directions with constant velocities. The objects will stop moving.

Answer 1

The objects will move in one direction with the same velocities.

Step-by-step explanation:

In an isolated system, during collision, some form of energy is converted to other forms of energy, i.e. energy is not lost.

Some of the Kinetic energy is converted to other forms of energy such as heat while momentum is conserved.

Note that the total energy of the system is the same after the collision (equal and opposite momenta)

i.e
`m_(1) v_(1) = - m_(2) v_(2)`

However there would be conversion of some forms of energy.

Due to the conservation of momentum, objects will move in the same direction and due to the conversion of kinetic energy to potential energy, both objects will have the same velocity (zero).

Answer 2

The objects will stick together and move with common final velocity.

Step-by-step explanation:

In an isolated system, there are no external forces acting on the object. Let there are two objects say object A and B. It is supposed that an isolated system in which two objects about to collide have equal and opposite momenta.

In an inelastic collision, the momentum of the objects after the collision remains while the kinetic energy is not conserved. Some of the energy is lost. After the collision, the objects will stick together and move with one common velocity.

Hence, the correct option is (b) "The objects will stick together and move with common final velocity".