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Collisions Explained: Elastic vs Inelastic Impacts
- Two Types of Collisions – Collisions can be elastic, where energy is conserved, or inelastic, where some is lost.
- Elastic Defined – In an elastic collision, both momentum and kinetic energy stay the same.
- Bouncy Example – A superball hitting the floor and bouncing back almost perfectly shows an elastic collision.
- Inelastic Defined – In an inelastic collision, momentum is conserved but kinetic energy changes into heat, sound, or deformation.
- Sticky Example – Two clay balls sticking together after impact is a classic inelastic collision.
- Perfectly Inelastic – The extreme case where colliding objects stick and move together as one.
- Real-Life Mix – Most everyday collisions, like car crashes, are partly elastic and partly inelastic.
- Energy at Work – Elastic collisions keep motion going, while inelastic ones transform energy into other forms.
- Sports Connection – A basketball bouncing is close to elastic, but tackling in football is highly inelastic.
- Cosmic Collisions – Even galaxies collide, often inelastic, reshaping stars and systems across the universe.