A piece of taffy slams into and sticks to an identical piece of taffy at rest. The momentum of the combined pieces after the collision is the same as before the collision, but this is not true of the kinetic energy, which partly degrades into heat. What percentage of the kinetic energy becomes heat?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

In an inelastic collision, some of the kinetic energy is lost as heat, so the percentage of kinetic energy that becomes heat is not 0%, but it also isn't 100%. It is typically around 50%, so the best choice is C.

A Piece of Taffy Slams into and Sticks to an Identical