Collisions - Physics in Motion Wayground

When objects physically touch.

When objects deform upon impact.

When momentum or kinetic energy is transferred between objects.

When objects move at high speeds.

Direct and Indirect

Elastic and Inelastic

Head-on and Glancing

Perfect and Imperfect

Both momentum and kinetic energy are conserved.

Neither momentum nor kinetic energy is conserved.

Momentum is conserved, but kinetic energy is not.

Kinetic energy is conserved, but momentum is not.

0.003 m/s

0.03 m/s

0.3 m/s

3 m/s

Energy is lost due to sound, heat, or deformation.

No energy is lost due to sound, heat, or deformation.

Objects stick together after impact.

Kinetic energy is not conserved.

275 kgm/s

125 kgm/s

200 kgm/s

-75 kgm/s

-3 m/s

1 m/s

3 m/s

-1 m/s

Only momentum.

Only kinetic energy.

Both momentum and kinetic energy.

Neither momentum nor kinetic energy.

Direction

Speed

Magnitude

Distance

the object with the higher velocity will have less momentum if the masses are equal

the more massive object will have less momentum if its velocity is greater

the less massive object will have less momentum if the velocities are the same

the more massive object will have less momentum if the velocities are the same