Inelastic collision problem

In summary: Right. To be honest, it has always seemed strange to me that 'elastic' is taken to mean perfectly elastic, i.e. no energy loss, and 'inelastic' for when there is any energy loss. It feels more natural to reserve inelastic for the case of zero coefficient of restitution and regard all nonzero restitution as varying degrees of elasticity. But there it is.I understand now, But in this question he didn't provide the coefficient of restitution .thus , the question is a little bit confusing
  • #1
garr6120
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0

Homework Statement


I am doing this project and it asks me for the before and after velocity of a inelastic collision.

Homework Equations

The Attempt at a Solution


I have found the before velocity of both object which is 0 and 15 m/s, however i am trying to find the after velocities right now, the thing is they are not stuck together so their are two speeds. So far i have added my two momentum's to find the total momentum before collision. However, now i am stuck with a solution i cannot find.
 
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  • #2
Have you been given the value of the coefficient of restitution?
 
  • #3
garr6120 said:
I have found the before velocity of both object which is 0 and 15 m/s, however i am trying to find the after velocities right now, the thing is they are not stuck together so their are two speeds. So far i have added my two momentum's to find the total momentum before collision. However, now i am stuck with a solution i cannot find.

You have two equations , one for conservation of momentum and the other is for conservation of kinetic energy.
Because the kinetic energy is conserved in the elastic collision.
From them you can find the final velocities of the two objects.
 
  • #4
By the way , it is an elastic collision , not inelastic.
 
  • #5
Maged Saeed said:
You have two equations , one for conservation of momentum and the other is for conservation of kinetic energy.

Maged Saeed said:
it is an elastic collision , not inelastic.
The OP says it is inelastic, so work is not conserved. It may be that garr6120 has stated the problem incorrectly, but I see no reason to suppose so.
 
  • #6
haruspex said:
The OP says it is inelastic, so work is not conserved. It may be that garr6120 has stated the problem incorrectly, but I see no reason to suppose so.
Yeah! I too have doubt about that. But I think if the value of coefficient of restitution is given then that question can be solved even if the collision is inelastic.
 
  • #7
haruspex said:
The OP says it is inelastic, so work is not conserved. It may be that garr6120 has stated the problem incorrectly, but I see no reason to suppose so.

Oh ,, I thought that it is elastic since the two object doesn't stuck together ,,
I was wrong
:)
 
  • #8
Maged Saeed said:
Oh ,, I thought that it is elastic since the two object doesn't stuck together ,,
I was wrong
:)
Right. To be honest, it has always seemed strange to me that 'elastic' is taken to mean perfectly elastic, i.e. no energy loss, and 'inelastic' for when there is any energy loss. It feels more natural to reserve inelastic for the case of zero coefficient of restitution and regard all nonzero restitution as varying degrees of elasticity. But there it is.
 
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Likes Maged Saeed
  • #9
I understand now, But in this question he didn't provide the coefficient of restitution .thus , the question is a little bit confusing .
 

What is an inelastic collision?

An inelastic collision is a type of collision in which kinetic energy is not conserved. This means that some of the energy is lost in the form of heat, sound, or deformation of the objects involved.

How is momentum conserved in an inelastic collision?

Momentum is always conserved in any type of collision, including inelastic collisions. This means that the total momentum before the collision is equal to the total momentum after the collision.

What is the coefficient of restitution in an inelastic collision?

The coefficient of restitution is a measure of the elasticity of a collision. In an inelastic collision, the coefficient of restitution is less than 1, indicating that some of the kinetic energy is lost.

How is the final velocity of objects determined in an inelastic collision?

The final velocity of objects involved in an inelastic collision is determined using the law of conservation of momentum and the equation v = (m1v1 + m2v2)/(m1 + m2), where m1 and m2 are the masses of the objects and v1 and v2 are their initial velocities.

What are some real-world examples of inelastic collisions?

Some examples of inelastic collisions in everyday life include a car crash, a ball bouncing and coming to rest on the ground, or a hammer hitting a nail and getting stuck in the wood.

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