A ball hits the floor and rebounds after an inelastic collision . In t...
When the collision is inelastic the ball doesn't rebond at all but it will stick to the ground. So the momentum of the ball just before and after collision is not conserved and so is it's energy. While considering both the ball and ground as our system the total energy is not conserved since ball losses it's energy but the ground doesn't gain any energy. However momentum will be now conserved because there is no external force acting on our system (gravitational force becomes internal).
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A ball hits the floor and rebounds after an inelastic collision . In t...
When the collision is inelastic the ball doesn't rebond at all but it will stick to the ground. So the momentum of the ball just before and after collision is not conserved and so is it's energy. While considering both the ball and ground as our system the total energy is not conserved since ball losses it's energy but the ground doesn't gain any energy. However momentum will be now conserved because there is no external force acting on our system (gravitational force becomes internal).
A ball hits the floor and rebounds after an inelastic collision . In t...
Momentum and Energy in an Inelastic Collision
In an inelastic collision, the objects involved stick together or deform upon impact, resulting in a loss of kinetic energy. Let's analyze the given statements to understand why option 'C' is the correct answer.
a) The momentum of the ball just after the collision is the same as that just before the collision.
This statement is incorrect for an inelastic collision. In an inelastic collision, the objects stick together or deform upon impact, resulting in a loss of kinetic energy. Since momentum is conserved in all collisions, including inelastic collisions, the total momentum of the system (ball and Earth) remains the same. However, the momentum of the individual objects (ball and Earth) may change.
b) The mechanical energy of the ball remains the same in the collision.
This statement is incorrect for an inelastic collision. In an inelastic collision, some of the initial kinetic energy is converted into other forms of energy, such as heat or sound. Therefore, the mechanical energy of the ball decreases after the collision.
c) The total momentum of the ball and the Earth is conserved.
This statement is correct. According to the law of conservation of momentum, the total momentum of an isolated system remains constant if no external forces act on it. In the case of a ball hitting the floor and rebounding, the ball and the Earth form an isolated system. Although the ball loses some momentum upon collision, an equal and opposite momentum is transferred to the Earth. Therefore, the total momentum of the ball and the Earth is conserved.
d) The total energy of the ball and the Earth is conserved.
This statement is incorrect for an inelastic collision. As mentioned earlier, in an inelastic collision, some of the initial kinetic energy is converted into other forms of energy. Therefore, the total energy of the ball and the Earth decreases after the collision.
Conclusion
In an inelastic collision where a ball hits the floor and rebounds, the total momentum of the ball and the Earth is conserved while the total mechanical energy decreases. Therefore, option 'C' is the correct answer.
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