Final answer:
In the inelastic collision between a clay ball and a block, lost kinetic energy is primarily converted into permanent deformation of the ball of clay and thermal energy. There's no increase in potential or rotational kinetic energy.
Step-by-step explanation:
When a 57 g ball of clay traveling at a speed of 6.5 m/s hits and sticks to a 1.0 kg block sitting at rest on a frictionless surface, this is an example of a perfectly inelastic collision. Since momentum is conserved but kinetic energy is not, the kinetic energy of the ball of clay and block system will be lower after the collision than before. This loss of kinetic energy is primarily due to two factors:
- Permanent deformation of the ball of clay: The kinetic energy used to deform the clay causes a change in shape which does not return to its original form, trapping some energy in the form of internal stresses and defects.
- Thermal energy: The rest of the energy is likely converted into heat due to the friction and the inelastic nature of the collision, increasing the thermal energy of the objects involved.
There is no increase in potential energy since there's no vertical movement against gravity, and unless the objects began to rotate together after the collision—which is not specified—we would not consider kinetic energy being converted to rotational kinetic energy.