An inelastic collision is a type of collision in which the kinetic energy of the system is not conserved. In other words, some of the initial kinetic energy is lost during the collision and is converted into other forms of energy, such as heat or sound.
Kinetic energy is lost in an inelastic collision due to the deformation of the objects involved. When two objects collide, they exert forces on each other, causing them to deform. This deformation results in some of the kinetic energy being converted into other forms of energy, such as heat or sound.
In an elastic collision, the objects involved do not deform and all of the initial kinetic energy is conserved. However, in an inelastic collision, some of the kinetic energy is lost due to the deformation of the objects. This results in an inelastic collision losing more kinetic energy than an elastic collision.
The amount of kinetic energy lost in an inelastic collision can be calculated by subtracting the final kinetic energy from the initial kinetic energy. This can be represented by the equation KE lost = KE initial - KE final.
No, an inelastic collision can never gain kinetic energy. Kinetic energy can only be lost in an inelastic collision due to the conversion into other forms of energy. This is because energy is conserved in all collisions, and the total amount of energy in a closed system cannot be increased or decreased.