- #1
DivergentSpectrum
- 149
- 15
ok, so as i understand an elastic collision conserves energy, and an inelastic collision doesn't conserve energy.
also that the energy loss in inelastic collisions is due to the fact that energy is required to "squash" or deform the object.
ok, maybe its just the terminology(it probably is), but I am completely confused here. if i throw a rubber bouncy ball at the ground (inelastic?), it will bounce higher than i threw it, in fact ill probably lose it and never find it again. If on the other hand i throw a ball bearing(elastic?) at the ground it might ricochet a little but in general its not going to go very far.
Now I am thinking the rubber ball must be elastic, and the ball bearing is inelastic,(which is lexically correct, although maybe not scientifically) but i also read that the collisions between billiard balls is elastic.
do bouncy balls somehow violate the laws of physics to attain a higher energy after a collision? what is this sorcery?
also that the energy loss in inelastic collisions is due to the fact that energy is required to "squash" or deform the object.
ok, maybe its just the terminology(it probably is), but I am completely confused here. if i throw a rubber bouncy ball at the ground (inelastic?), it will bounce higher than i threw it, in fact ill probably lose it and never find it again. If on the other hand i throw a ball bearing(elastic?) at the ground it might ricochet a little but in general its not going to go very far.
Now I am thinking the rubber ball must be elastic, and the ball bearing is inelastic,(which is lexically correct, although maybe not scientifically) but i also read that the collisions between billiard balls is elastic.
do bouncy balls somehow violate the laws of physics to attain a higher energy after a collision? what is this sorcery?