Understanding Elastic and Inelastic Collisions in Ballistic Pendulums

[jubbly]

Hey guys, I have some questions about this ballistic pendulum http://image.made-in-china.com/2f1j00nMvTZeBzkLoC/Ballistic-Pendulum.jpg

My partner and me were discussing what kind of collision it made.
I think it's an elastic since we placed a ball in the rod then pulled the metal rod back. Then the ball went into the block and the block hit the rod again and bounced a little. Wouldn't that make it elastic since it bounced off the rod?

 

[tiny-tim]

hey jubbly!

… Wouldn't that make it elastic since it bounced off the rod?

nooo … if a ball bounces off the ground, that usually isn't elastic … same here

(the more a bouncy things deforms, the more energy tends to be lost)