Energy Loss in a Collision: Calculating Speed and Percentage

AI Thread Summary
The discussion revolves around a physics problem involving a collision between a clay ball and a block on a frictionless surface. The final speed of the block after the collision is calculated to be 0.0596 m/s. To determine the percentage of initial energy lost, the correct approach is to divide the difference between initial and final energy by the initial energy, not the final energy. The user initially used the wrong formula, leading to incorrect results. Clarification on the energy loss calculation method is provided to help resolve the confusion.
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Homework Statement



A 40.8 g ball of clay hits and sticks to a 3.41 kg block sitting at rest on a frictionless surface. What is the speed of the block after the collision if the initial speed of the ball of clay is 5.04 m/s?
b)What percentage of the system's initial energy is lost?

Homework Equations



pinitial=pfinal, E=0.5mv2

The Attempt at a Solution



for the first part i figured out the speed final which is 0.0596 m/s
for the second part for each i figured the initial energy and then the final energy using the energy equation for both objects involved. after this part i am stuck to figure out the energy lost i came up with this equation 100-(Einitial-Efinal/Efinal) x100.. i used it and am not getting the right answer..pls. help
 
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Divide by initial energy, not final energy (that's what it means by "percentage of the initial energy").
 
thanks :)
 

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