If momentum is conserved in a collision, does this indicate conclusively that the collision is elastic?
Physics · High School · Sun Jan 24 2021
Answered on
No, the conservation of momentum alone does not conclusively indicate that a collision is elastic. The conservation of momentum is a fundamental principle that applies to both elastic and inelastic collisions.
In an elastic collision, not only is momentum conserved, but kinetic energy is also conserved. In an inelastic collision, momentum is conserved, but kinetic energy is not.
So, while the conservation of momentum is a characteristic of both elastic and inelastic collisions, to determine whether a collision is elastic, you need to additionally consider whether kinetic energy is conserved. If kinetic energy is conserved, it's elastic; if not, it's inelastic.