In a game of pool, the white cue ball hits the #5 ball and stops, while the #5 ball moves away with the same velocity as the cue ball had originally. Both balls have the same mass. This type of collision is
A) completely inelastic.
B) elastic.
C) somewhat inelastic.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

In an elastic collision, both momentum and kinetic energy are conserved. Since the cue ball stops and transfers its entire velocity to the #5 ball, and both balls have the same mass, this implies that the kinetic energy and momentum before and after the collision are conserved, which is characteristic of an elastic collision.

In a Game of Pool, the White Cue Ball Hits