Two objects collide and bounce off each other. Linear momentum

[robvba]

Two objects collide and bounce off each other. Linear momentum

A. is conserved only if the environment is frictionless
B. definately not conserved
C. definately is conserved
D. is conserved only if the collusion is elastic


A perfectly elastic collision is defined as one in which there is no loss of kinetic energy in the collision. An inelastic collision is one in which part of the kinetic energy is changed to some other form of energy in the collision. Any macroscopic collision between objects will convert some of the kinetic energy into internal energy and other forms of energy, so no large scale impacts are perfectly elastic. Momentum is conserved in inelastic collisions, but one cannot track the kinetic energy through the collision since some of it is converted to other forms of energy. Collisions in ideal gases approach perfectly elastic collisions, as do scattering interactions of sub-atomic particles which are deflected by the electromagnetic force. Some large-scale interactions like the slingshot type gravitational interactions between satellites and planets are perfectly elastic.

D?

 

[LowlyPion]

Two objects collide and bounce off each other. Linear momentum

A. is conserved only if the environment is frictionless
B. definately not conserved
C. definately is conserved
D. is conserved only if the collusion is elastic


A perfectly elastic collision is defined as one in which there is no loss of kinetic energy in the collision. An inelastic collision is one in which part of the kinetic energy is changed to some other form of energy in the collision. Any macroscopic collision between objects will convert some of the kinetic energy into internal energy and other forms of energy, so no large scale impacts are perfectly elastic. Momentum is conserved in inelastic collisions, but one cannot track the kinetic energy through the collision since some of it is converted to other forms of energy. Collisions in ideal gases approach perfectly elastic collisions, as do scattering interactions of sub-atomic particles which are deflected by the electromagnetic force. Some large-scale interactions like the slingshot type gravitational interactions between satellites and planets are perfectly elastic.

D?

Maybe read your material a little more closely?

 

[ogb p]

is the correct answer. Momentum is conserved in all collisions, but kinetic energy is only conserved in perfectly elastic collisions. Therefore, in order for linear momentum to be conserved in a collision, it must be an elastic collision. In the given scenario, where two objects collide and bounce off each other, we can assume that the collision is elastic as there is no mention of any energy being lost or converted into other forms. Therefore, linear momentum is definitely conserved in this scenario.