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Why is Kinetic Energy lost in an inelastic collision but not in an elastic collision?
An inelastic collision is a type of collision in which kinetic energy is not conserved. This means that some of the kinetic energy of the colliding objects is lost and converted into other forms of energy, such as thermal or sound energy.
In an elastic collision, kinetic energy is conserved and the objects bounce off of each other. In an inelastic collision, kinetic energy is not conserved and the objects stick together after colliding.
Kinetic energy is lost in an inelastic collision because some of the energy is used to deform the objects during the collision. This deformation creates heat and sound, which are forms of energy that cannot be recovered.
The amount of kinetic energy lost in an inelastic collision can be calculated by subtracting the final kinetic energy from the initial kinetic energy. The difference between the two values is the amount of kinetic energy that was lost during the collision.
Some real-life examples of inelastic collisions include a car colliding with a wall, a ball being caught by a catcher's mitt, and a basketball bouncing on the ground. In each of these situations, kinetic energy is lost due to the objects deforming upon impact.