Applications of Elastic and Inelastic Collision

There are numerous applications of elastic and inelastic collision in our daily life. Some of them are discussed below:

Applications of Elastic Collisions

Billiards and Pool: In games like billiards and pool, elastic collisions between balls are important. When two balls collide on a billiard table, they typically rebound off each other without any loss of kinetic energy, assuming there is no friction.

Particle Physics Experiments: In particle physics experiments, such as those conducted in particle accelerators like the Large Hadron Collider (LHC), understanding elastic collisions is essential.

Momentum Transfer Devices: Devices such as Newton’s cradle, consisting of a series of swinging pendulums, demonstrate elastic collisions. When one ball at the end is lifted and released, it transfers its kinetic energy through a series of elastic collisions to the other balls.

Applications of Inelastic Collisions

Car Crashes: In car crashes, collisions between vehicles and other objects are typically inelastic. The kinetic energy of the vehicles is not conserved, and some of it is transformed into other forms of energy, such as deformation energy, heat, and sound.

Industrial Processes: In industries like manufacturing and materials processing, inelastic collisions are encountered frequently. For example, during metalworking processes like forging or rolling, the collisions between metal particles or between metal and machinery is inelastic.

Sports Equipment Design: The design of sports equipment, such as helmets, pads, and safety gear, often involves considerations of inelastic collisions.

Elastic collisions and inelastic collisions are two types of collisions that behave differently in physics. In elastic collisions, the total kinetic energy of the objects remains the same before and after the collision. On the other hand, in inelastic collisions, some of the kinetic energy is transformed into other forms, such as heat, sound, or deformation of the objects. This fundamental dissimilarity influences various aspects of motion and energy transfer, and makes it essential to distinguish between the two collision types for accurate analysis and prediction of outcomes.

In this article, we will learn in detail about difference between elastic and inelastic collision