An elastic collision is a type of collision between two objects in which both energy and momentum are conserved. This means that the total kinetic energy and total momentum of the system before and after the collision remain the same.
In an elastic collision, both kinetic energy and momentum are conserved, while in an inelastic collision, only momentum is conserved. This means that in an inelastic collision, some of the energy is lost in the form of heat or deformation of the objects.
The equation for calculating the final velocities in an elastic collision is v1f = ((m1 - m2)v1i + 2m2v2i) / (m1 + m2) and v2f = ((m2 - m1)v2i + 2m1v1i) / (m1 + m2), where m1 and m2 are the masses of the two objects, and v1i and v2i are their initial velocities.
In an elastic collision, the conservation of momentum and kinetic energy can be expressed as two simultaneous equations. By solving these equations, we can find the values of the final velocities of the objects after the collision.
Yes, an elastic collision can occur between three or more objects. In this case, the conservation of momentum and kinetic energy must be applied to all objects involved in the collision.