A piece of taffy slams into and sticks to another identical piece of taffy that is at rest. The momentum of the two pieces of taffy stuck together after the collision is the same as it was before the collision. Kinetic energy is a different story, for part of it turns into heat. What percentage of the kinetic energy converts into heat?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

In an inelastic collision like this one, kinetic energy is not conserved, and some of it is transformed into heat. The percentage of kinetic energy that is lost depends on the nature of the collision and the objects involved. In this case, since the two pieces of taffy are identical and stick together, we can assume that the collision is completely inelastic. In such a collision, about 50% of the initial kinetic energy is converted into heat. Therefore, the correct answer is choice C (50%).

A Piece of Taffy Slams into and Sticks to Another