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In physics, an elastic collision is an encounter between two bodies in which the total kinetic energy of the two bodies remains the same. In an ideal, perfectly elastic collision, there is no net loss of kinetic energy into other forms such as heat , noise, or potential energy .
Inelastic scattering is common in molecular collisions. Any collision which leads to a chemical reaction will be inelastic, but the term inelastic scattering is reserved for those collisions which do not result in reactions. [3] There is a transfer of energy between the translational mode (kinetic energy) and rotational and vibrational modes.
An inelastic collision, in contrast to an elastic collision, is a collision in which kinetic energy is not conserved due to the action of internal friction. In collisions of macroscopic bodies, some kinetic energy is turned into vibrational energy of the atoms , causing a heating effect, and the bodies are deformed.
A "perfectly inelastic" collision (also called a "perfectly plastic" collision) is a limiting case of inelastic collision in which the two bodies coalesce after impact. An example of such a collision is a car crash, as cars crumple inward when crashing, rather than bouncing off of each other.
Economists use elasticity of demand to gauge how responsive consumers are to changes in price and income, but investors can also use elasticity of demand to help make more informed investing ...
0 < e < 1: This is a real-world inelastic collision, in which some kinetic energy is dissipated. The objects rebound with a lower separation speed than the speed of approach. e = 1: This is a perfectly elastic collision, in which no kinetic energy is dissipated. The objects rebound with the same relative speed with which they approached.
The elastic components, as previously mentioned, can be modeled as springs of elastic constant E, given the formula: = where σ is the stress, E is the elastic modulus of the material, and ε is the strain that occurs under the given stress, similar to Hooke's law.
The SI unit for elasticity and the elastic modulus is the pascal (Pa). This unit is defined as force per unit area, generally a measurement of pressure, which in mechanics corresponds to stress. The pascal and therefore elasticity have the dimension L −1 ⋅M⋅T −2.