Final answer:
In a collision, conservation of energy and momentum dictates that a solid object striking another results in energy transfer. Momentum is conserved in elastic collisions, but kinetic energy is not always conserved in inelastic collisions.
Step-by-step explanation:
When a solid object strikes another on impact, an energy transfer occurs due to the conservation of energy and momentum. If a smaller object collides with a larger stationary object and rebounds, intuitively, the larger object moves forward but at a lesser speed, similar to a compact car bouncing off a full-size SUV. This conservation of momentum is evident when calculating the total momentum before and after the collision, which remains unchanged.
Similarly, checking the internal kinetic energy before and after reveals it also being conserved at 4.00 Joules in a perfectly elastic collision. However, in an inelastic collision, kinetic energy is reduced post-collision, but surprisingly, the total system momentum can increase, as noted in situations where contact forces, as described by Newton's third law, contribute to the system's momentum.