An inelastic collision occurs when objects stick together after impact. In this scenario, three balls of clay collide simultaneously and stick together, illustrating the principle of conservation of momentum but not the conservation of kinetic energy.
Inelastic Collision:
An inelastic collision is a type of collision in which the colliding objects stick together after the impact. In the scenario shown in Figure 1, three balls of clay collide simultaneously and stick together.
Conservation of Momentum:
The principle of conservation of momentum states that in an isolated system, the total momentum before the collision is equal to the total momentum after the collision. The mathematical expression for conservation of momentum in this scenario can be written as:
m₁v₁ + m₂v₂ + m₃v₃ = (m₁ + m₂ + m₃) × v
Kinetic Energy:
In an inelastic collision, kinetic energy is not conserved. Some of the initial kinetic energy is transformed into other forms of energy, such as internal energy or deformation. In this scenario, the kinetic energy of the system decreases as the balls stick together.
The collision shown in Figure 1 is an inelastic collision where the three balls of clay stick together. The principle of conservation of momentum applies, but kinetic energy is not conserved.