Live collision changes

PhaseReady

Total momentum6.0 kg·m/s

Initial KE9.0 J

Current KE3.6 J

Energy changed5.4 J

Restitution0.00

Inelastic Collision Crash Lab

Workspace

Collision setup

Scenario

Understand this collision

1Before

2Impact

3After

4Compare

Cart controls

Orange cart mass2.0 kg

Orange velocity3.0 m/s

Blue cart mass3.0 kg

Blue velocity0.0 m/s

Restitution0.00

Simulation speed1.00×

Collision results

Initial momentum6.0 kg·m/s

Final momentum6.0 kg·m/s

Initial kinetic energy9.0 J

Final kinetic energy3.6 J

Cart 1 final velocity1.2 m/s

Cart 2 final velocity1.2 m/s

Momentum is conserved while kinetic energy changes form.

Guided process

1Direction

2Momentum

3Impact

4Energy

Choose right as positive. A right-moving cart has positive momentum; a left-moving cart has negative momentum.

Focus and view

Track object

Zoom1.00×

Teacher demo tools

Always show momentum vectors Reveal conservation rule

Voice and language

Language

English narrator

Narration speed

Choose a Pakistani, Indian, US, UK, or Australian English narrator.

Embedded Jenny from the USA narration selected.

ReadyChapter 1 of 10

Progress10%

Watch the canvas

Now showing:

Chapters

Learning objectives

Distinguish momentum conservation from kinetic-energy conservation.
Predict final velocities using mass, velocity, and restitution.
Explain why perfectly inelastic objects share one velocity.
Track energy transformed into deformation, heat, and sound.

Key concepts

Momentum: mass multiplied by velocity, including direction.

Perfectly inelastic: objects stick and restitution is zero.

Energy: total energy is conserved, but kinetic energy changes into other forms.

Suggested experiments

Choose Momentum cancellation and verify that the joined carts stop.
Double only the blue-cart mass and compare the final velocity.
Raise restitution and observe separation plus a smaller energy loss.
Set equal masses and test a rear-end collision.

Questions for exploration

Can kinetic energy decrease while momentum stays exactly constant? What physical changes represent that energy?

Seven-question check

0 / 7