In an INELASTIC collision between two objects
A) the momentum of each object is conserved.
B) the kinetic energy of each object is conserved.
C) the momentum of the system is conserved but the kinetic energy of the system is not conserved.
D) both the momentum and the kinetic energy of the system are conserved.
E) the kinetic energy of the system is conserved, but the momentum of the system is not conserved.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

In an inelastic collision, the momentum of the system is always conserved (because momentum is always conserved in any collision). However, some kinetic energy is lost during an inelastic collision, typically because some of the kinetic energy is transformed into heat, sound, or deformation of the objects involved in the collision. Therefore, option C is the correct answer, as it states that the momentum of the system is conserved, but the kinetic energy of the system is not conserved in an inelastic collision.

In an INELASTIC Collision Between Two Objects