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Is there a complete transfer between two marbles colliding?

User Lekant
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1 Answer

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Final answer:

In an elastic collision, momentum can be completely transferred between two marbles. However, most real-world collisions are slightly inelastic, meaning some energy is converted to heat or sound.

Step-by-step explanation:

When two marbles collide, a complete transfer of momentum from one marble to another can occur only in a perfectly elastic collision. However, in real-world scenarios, some energy is always lost to other forms such as heat or sound, making most collisions inelastic. The conservation of momentum principle tells us that the total momentum before and after the collision remains constant, excluding external forces. If two marbles have equal mass and one is stationary, the moving marble may stop after the collision, transferring its momentum to the stationary one, as illustrated when a blue puck transfers all of its momentum to a red puck. The conservation of momentum is also observed when two cars of similar mass collide and momentum is redistributed between them, further emphasizing the significance of this conservation law in collisions.

User Andrew Medworth
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