Object 1 moves toward Object 2, whose mass is twice that of...

Object 1 moves toward Object 2, whose mass is twice that of Object 1 and which is initially at rest. After their impact, the objects lock
together and move with what fraction of Object 1’s initial kinetic
energy?
(A) 1/18
(B) 1/9
(C) 1/6
(D) 1/3

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Key Concepts

Inelastic Collisions

In an inelastic collision, the colliding objects stick together after impact. While momentum is conserved in these types of collisions, kinetic energy is not fully conserved; some of it is transformed into other forms of energy like heat or deformation. This concept is essential to understand how the system's energy changes after the collision.

Kinetic Energy Transformation

Kinetic energy is the energy of motion, and during collisions, particularly inelastic ones, not all of the initial kinetic energy remains in the form of kinetic energy after the impact. Some energy is lost or converted into other forms, which is why calculating the fraction of kinetic energy retained is a key step in analyzing collision outcomes.

Conservation of Momentum

This principle states that in a closed system with no external forces, the total momentum before and after an event, such as a collision, remains constant. It allows for the determination of post-collision velocities by equating the combined momentum of the objects before the collision to their combined momentum after the collision.

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