Understanding Inelasticity: Explaining Kinetic Energy Loss in Clay Balls

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Homework Help Overview

The discussion revolves around understanding the concept of inelastic collisions, specifically in the context of clay balls and the justification of kinetic energy loss during such collisions.

Discussion Character

  • Conceptual clarification, Assumption checking

Approaches and Questions Raised

  • Participants explore how to justify the inelastic nature of clay balls using kinetic energy, with questions about where the "lost" energy goes during a collision. There is also a clarification on the definitions of elastic and inelastic collisions.

Discussion Status

The discussion is active, with participants seeking to clarify the relationship between kinetic energy and inelastic collisions. Some guidance has been offered regarding energy loss being associated with deformation of the clay balls, but no consensus has been reached on the justification process.

Contextual Notes

Participants are navigating definitions and implications of kinetic energy in the context of inelastic collisions, indicating a need for further exploration of these concepts.

psruler
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Hi, can someone please help me explain this problem,

If a ball that is made of clay is inelastic, how do I justify that using kinetic energy? If inelastic, where does the "lost" energy go in this case?

THANKS!
 
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"How do I justify that using kinetic energy?" That using kinetic energy does what?

In the case of clay balls, most of the lost energy goes into deforming the balls.

cookiemonster
 
I wanted to say how to I justify that the clay ball is inelastic using kinetic energy?
 
An elastic collision is defined to be a collision in which kinetic energy is conserved.

An inelastic collision is defined to be a collision in which kinetic energy is not conserved.

cookiemonster
 
thanks cookiemonster!
 

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