Elastic Collisions

Definition

Elastic collisions are collisions between objects where both kinetic energy and momentum are conserved. In an elastic collision, the total kinetic energy before the collision is equal to the total kinetic energy after the collision.

Analogy

Imagine two bumper cars colliding on an amusement park ride. When they collide, they bounce off each other with almost no loss of speed or energy. The cars maintain their original speeds and directions, just like in an elastic collision.

Related terms

Inelastic Collisions: Inelastic collisions are collisions between objects where kinetic energy is not conserved. Some of the initial kinetic energy is transformed into other forms of energy, such as heat or sound.

Conservation of Momentum: Conservation of momentum states that the total momentum of a system remains constant if no external forces act on it. This principle applies to both elastic and inelastic collisions.

Impulse: Impulse is defined as the change in momentum experienced by an object when a force acts upon it for a certain amount of time. It can be calculated by multiplying force and time.