An inelastic collision is a type of collision in which kinetic energy is not conserved. This means that after the collision, the total kinetic energy of the objects involved is less than the initial total kinetic energy. Inelastic collisions typically involve objects that stick together after colliding.
In an elastic collision, kinetic energy is conserved, meaning that the total kinetic energy of the objects involved before and after the collision is the same. Inelastic collisions, on the other hand, result in a loss of kinetic energy due to deformation or other factors.
The equations used to solve inelastic collision problems include the conservation of momentum equation, which states that the total momentum before the collision is equal to the total momentum after the collision, and the coefficient of restitution formula, which relates the initial and final velocities of the objects involved in the collision.
The mass of the objects involved in an inelastic collision will affect the resulting velocities after the collision. The heavier object will generally experience a smaller change in velocity compared to the lighter object, as the total momentum must still be conserved. However, the change in velocity will also depend on the initial velocities of the objects and the coefficient of restitution.
An example of an inelastic collision in real life is when a car collides with a wall. The car and the wall will stick together after the collision, and the resulting velocity of the car will be much less than its initial velocity due to the loss of kinetic energy during the collision.