Answer carefully, with reasons: (a) In an elastic collision of two billiard balls, is the total kinetic energy conserved during the short time of collision of the balls (i.e., when they are in contact)? (b) Is the total linear momentum conserved during the short time of an elastic collision of two balls? (c) What are the answers to (a) and (b) for an inelastic collision? (d) If the potential energy of two billiard balls depends only on the separation distance between their centres, is the collision elastic or inelastic? (Note, we are talking here of potential energy corresponding to the force during collision, not gravitational potential energy).

Question

Answer carefully, with reasons: (a) In an elastic collision of two billiard balls, is the total kinetic energy conserved during the short time of collision of the balls (i.e., when they are in contact)? (b) Is the total linear momentum conserved during the short time of an elastic collision of two balls? (c) What are the answers to (a) and (b) for an inelastic collision? (d) If the potential energy of two billiard balls depends only on the separation distance between their centres, is the collision elastic or inelastic? (Note, we are talking here of potential energy corresponding to the force during collision, not gravitational potential energy).,

MARKS App · Accepted Answer

(a) No, the total kinetic energy is not conserved during the given elastic collision because a part of the kinetic energy is used in deforming the balls in that short interval for which they are in contact during collision and gets converted into potential energy. In an elastic collision, the K.E. before and after collision is same. (b) Yes, the total linear momentum is conserved during the short time of an elastic collision of two balls. (c) In an inelastic collision, total K.E. is not conserved during collision and even after collision. The total linear momentum is however conserved during as well as after collision. (d) The collision is elastic.

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