Collisions

Front

Momentum Noun

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[moh-men-tum]

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Momentum

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The quantity of motion of a moving body, which is calculated as the product of its mass and velocity.

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Example: When the car suddenly stops, the box on top keeps moving forward because of its momentum, showing that objects in motion stay in motion.

Front

Mass Noun

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[mas]

Back

Mass

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A measure of the amount of matter in an object, determining its inertia and its momentum when in motion.

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Example: This image shows a balance scale comparing a 1g weight to an apple, demonstrating that the apple has more mass, which is the amount of matter in an object.

Front

Velocity Noun

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[vuh-los-i-tee]

Back

Velocity

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The speed of an object moving in a specific direction, which is a vector quantity essential for calculating momentum.

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Example: This image shows that velocity is not just speed, but also includes a specific direction, like traveling in a straight line from Point A to Point B.

Front

Closed System Noun

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[klohzd sis-tuhm]

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Closed System

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A physical system where objects interact without any external forces, allowing for the total momentum to remain constant.

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Example: This diagram shows a closed system allows energy to be exchanged with its surroundings, but not matter, a key idea for understanding collisions.

Front

Impulse Noun

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[im-puhls]

Back

Impulse

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The change in momentum of an object, calculated as the product of the applied force and its duration.

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Example: This graph shows that impulse is the total effect of a force acting over time, represented by the shaded area under the Force-Time curve.

Front

Collision Noun

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[kuh-lizh-uhn]

Back

Collision

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An event where multiple objects exert forces on each other over a short time, resulting in an exchange of momentum.

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Example: Two objects moving toward each other are about to collide, an event where they will exert forces on one another.

Front

Impact Time Noun

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[im-pakt tahym]

Back

Impact Time

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The duration over which a force is applied during a collision, which influences the magnitude of the impact force.

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Example: An airbag increases the impact time during a car collision, which reduces the force on the passenger, as shown by the crash test dummy.

Front

Kinetic Energy Noun

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[ki-net-ik en-er-jee]

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Kinetic Energy

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The energy an object possesses due to its motion, a key factor in classifying different types of collisions.

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Example: A foot collides with a soccer ball, transferring energy and causing the ball to move, which demonstrates kinetic energy (the energy of motion).

Front

Elastic Collision Noun

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[ih-las-tik kuh-lizh-uhn]

Back

Elastic Collision

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A collision where the total kinetic energy of the system is conserved and the colliding objects bounce apart.

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Example: A Newton's Cradle demonstrates an elastic collision, where kinetic energy is conserved as it transfers from the first ball through the others to the last ball.

Front

Inelastic Collision Noun

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[in-ih-las-tik kuh-lizh-uhn]

Back

Inelastic Collision

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A collision where momentum is conserved but total kinetic energy is not, with some energy lost to other forms.

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Example: When two objects collide and deform, like in this car crash, it's an inelastic collision where kinetic energy is lost to damage and heat.