For a completely inelastic two-body collision the kinetic energy retained by the objects is the same as: A)the total kinetic energy before the collision B)the difference in the kinetic energies of the objects before the collision C)1/2Mv²_com, where M is the total mass and v_com is the velocity of the center of mass D)the kinetic energy of the more massive body before the collision E)the kinetic energy of the less massive body before the collision

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

In a completely inelastic collision, the objects stick together and move with the velocity of the center of mass. The kinetic energy retained is given by $1/2 M v_{com}^2$, where $M$ is the total mass and $v_{com}$ is the velocity of the center of mass.

For a Completely Inelastic Two-Body Collision the Kinetic Energy Retained