In the figure,determine the character of the collision.The masses of the blocks,and the velocities before and after,are shown.The collision is
A)perfectly elastic.
B)partially inelastic.
C)completely inelastic.
D)characterized by an increase in kinetic energy.
E)not possible because momentum is not conserved.

Question

In the figure,determine the character of the collision.The masses of the blocks,and the velocities before and after,are shown.The collision is 
A)perfectly elastic. 
B)partially inelastic. 
C)completely inelastic. 
D)characterized by an increase in kinetic energy. 
E)not possible because momentum is not conserved.

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

In a completely inelastic collision, the two objects stick together after the collision, moving at a common velocity. In this case, the two blocks stick together and move to the right with a velocity of 1.5 m/s. Since kinetic energy is not conserved in an inelastic collision, the collision cannot be perfectly elastic or characterized by an increase in kinetic energy. The momentum is conserved in this case, as the total momentum before and after the collision is the same, so option E is incorrect. Therefore, option B is also incorrect.

In the Figure,determine the Character of the Collision