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Inelastic collisions conserve momentum but not kinetic energy. Objects stick together or deform, with lost energy converting to heat and deformation.
Fórmula
The calculator conserves momentum: m₁v₁ + m₂v₂ = (m₁ + m₂)v_final
Guía paso a paso
- 1Enter masses and velocities of colliding objects
- 2The calculator conserves momentum: m₁v₁ + m₂v₂ = (m₁ + m₂)v_final
- 3Results show final velocity and energy loss
Ejemplos resueltos
Entrada
m₁ = 1 kg, v₁ = 10 m/s, m₂ = 1 kg, v₂ = 0 m/s (perfectly inelastic)
Resultado
v_final = 5 m/s, ΔKE = 25 J lost
Momentum conserved, energy not
Errores comunes a evitar
- ✕Attempting to conserve kinetic energy (it's not conserved)
- ✕Calculating final velocity incorrectly using separate masses
Preguntas frecuentes
Why is kinetic energy not conserved?
Energy transforms into deformation, heat, sound, and other forms; the total energy is still conserved.
What's a perfectly inelastic collision?
Objects stick together after collision, representing maximum possible energy loss while still conserving momentum.
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