In a completely inelastic collision between two objects where the mass of one is double that of the other, which of the following statements is always true?
A) The larger mass will always lose kinetic energy.
B) The smaller mass will always gain kinetic energy.
C) The momentum of the smaller mass will have a larger magnitude change than that of the larger mass.
D) Not even one of the above statements is true.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

In a completely inelastic collision, both objects stick together and move with a common velocity after the collision. The kinetic energy is not conserved, but the total momentum is conserved. The changes in kinetic energy and momentum depend on the initial velocities, so none of the statements A, B, or C are always true.

In a Completely Inelastic Collision Between Two Objects Where the Mass