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A comet fragment of mass 1.96 × 10¹³ kg is moving at 6.50 × 10⁴ m/s when it crashes into Callisto, a moon of Jupiter. The mass of Callisto is 1.08 × 10²³ kg. The collision is completely inelastic. How much kinetic energy was released in the collision?

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Final answer:

The question involves calculating the kinetic energy lost when a comet fragment strikes Callisto, which requires the final velocity post-impact for an exact value. The initial kinetic energy is found using KE = ½ mv² and involves a significant energy transformation upon impact. An exact numerical answer is not provided due to lack of necessary information.

Step-by-step explanation:

The subject question involves determining the amount of kinetic energy released when a comet fragment collides inelastically with Callisto, one of Jupiter's moons. The collision is perfectly inelastic, meaning that the comet fragment sticks to Callisto upon impact, and we observe a transformation of kinetic energy into other forms, such as heat, sound, and deformation of materials involved in the impact.

Initially, the fragment's kinetic energy (KE) can be calculated using the formula KE = ½ mv², where m is the mass of the comet fragment and v is its velocity. Substituting the given values (m = 1.96 × 10¹³ kg and v = 6.50 × 10´ m/s), we get KE_initial = ½ × 1.96 × 10¹³ kg × (6.50 × 10´ m/s)². After the collision, both the comet and Callisto move together and their final kinetic energy is less due to the energy lost in the collision.

To find the exact amount of kinetic energy lost, we would need the final velocity of the combined system, which is not provided in the question. However, we can infer that the amount of energy released during such impacts can be immense, similar to that of the Comet Shoemaker-Levy 9 fragments crashing into Jupiter. Without the final velocity, an exact numerical answer to the kinetic energy released in the collision with Callisto cannot be provided.

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