This tag is for questions relating to collision which is the interaction between two or more bodies that results in physical contact and an exchange of momentum between the bodies involved. When it happens, kinetic energy is often exchanged between the molecules’ translational motion and their internal degrees of freedom.
A collision (also called impact) is short duration interaction between two bodies or more than two bodies simultaneously causing change in motion of bodies involved due to internal forces acted between them during this. Collisions involve forces (there is a change in velocity ). The magnitude of the velocity difference at impact is called the closing speed. All collisions conserve momentum. What distinguishes different types of collisions is whether they also conserve kinetic energy.
The line which is common normal for surfaces are closest or in contact during impact is called the line of impact. This is the line along which internal force of collision acts during impact and Newton’s coefficient of restitution is defined only along this line.
Classification: There are basically two types of collision.
Elastic collision: The type of collision in which both the momentum and kinetic energy of the system are conserved is called elastic collision. The collision between subatomic particles is generally elastic. The collision between two steel or glass balls is nearly elastic. In elastic collisions, the forces involving are conservative in nature.
Inelastic collision: The type of collision in which only momentum is conserved, not kinetic energy is called inelastic collision. Most of the collisions in daily life are inelastic in nature.
The magnitude and direction of the velocity of the colliding bodies may change in a collision. The force involved in collision acts only for a very short period of time. We come across many examples of collision daily. The coins of a carom game colliding with one another or collision between vehicles in road etc, are examples of collision
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Collision
Collisions
