An elastic collision is a type of collision where the total kinetic energy of the system is conserved. This means that the total energy of the objects before the collision is equal to the total energy after the collision.
In an elastic collision, the total momentum of the system is conserved. This means that the sum of the momentums of the objects before the collision is equal to the sum of the momentums after the collision.
The two types of elastic collisions are head-on collisions and oblique collisions. In a head-on collision, the objects collide directly with one another, while in an oblique collision, the objects collide at an angle.
In an elastic collision, the total kinetic energy of the system is conserved, while in an inelastic collision, some of the kinetic energy is lost in the form of heat, sound, or deformation of the objects involved.
To solve an elastic collision problem, you can use the conservation of energy and momentum equations. First, calculate the total kinetic energy and momentum of the system before the collision. Then, use the equations to calculate the velocities of the objects after the collision. Finally, check if the total energy and momentum are conserved in the final state.