Rotational kinetic energy versus translation kinetic energy?

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SUMMARY

The discussion focuses on the relationship between rotational kinetic energy and translational kinetic energy during collisions, particularly when an object collides off its center of mass. It emphasizes that there is no straightforward method to determine the distribution of energy between these two forms of kinetic energy. Instead, one must apply the principles of conservation of momentum and angular momentum, along with experimental data to quantify energy loss in collisions.

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  • Understanding of conservation of momentum
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Stucky
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I don't remember learning this in my C Physics Mechanics class which is odd since it seems pretty important. In the case where you have one object colliding with another object off its center of mass, how do you tell how much of the energy from the collision goes into rotational kinetic energy and how much of it goes into translational kinetic energy?

Thanks for the help.
 
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Welcome to PF!

Hi Stucky! Welcome to PF! :wink:

There's no straightforward method.

You work it out from the conservation of momentum and of angular momentum , together with some loss-of-energy equation determined by experiment, that usually gives the mechanical energy lost as a proportion of total mechanical energy. :smile:
 

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