8.4 Elastic collisions in one dimension

Learning objectives

By the end of this section, you will be able to:

• Describe an elastic collision of two objects in one dimension.
• Define internal kinetic energy.
• Derive an expression for conservation of internal kinetic energy in a one-dimensional collision.
• Determine the final velocities in an elastic collision given masses and initial velocities.

The information presented in this section supports the following AP® learning objectives and science practices:

• 4.B.1.1 The student is able to calculate the change in linear momentum of a two-object system with constant mass in linear motion from a representation of the system (data, graphs, etc.). (S.P. 1.4, 2.2)
• 4.B.1.2 The student is able to analyze data to find the change in linear momentum for a constant-mass system using the product of the mass and the change in velocity of the center of mass. (S.P. 5.1)
• 5.A.2.1 The student is able to define open and closed systems for everyday situations and apply conservation concepts for energy, charge, and linear momentum to those situations. (S.P. 6.4, 7.2)
• 5.D.1.1 The student is able to make qualitative predictions about natural phenomena based on conservation of linear momentum and restoration of kinetic energy in elastic collisions. (S.P. 6.4, 7.2)
• 5.D.1.2 The student is able to apply the principles of conservation of momentum and restoration of kinetic energy to reconcile a situation that appears to be isolated and elastic, but in which data indicate that linear momentum and kinetic energy are not the same after the interaction, by refining a scientific question to identify interactions that have not been considered. Students will be expected to solve qualitatively and/or quantitatively for one-dimensional situations and only qualitatively in two-dimensional situations. (S.P. 2.2, 3.2, 5.1, 5.3)
• 5.D.1.5 The student is able to classify a given collision situation as elastic or inelastic, justify the selection of conservation of linear momentum and restoration of kinetic energy as the appropriate principles for analyzing an elastic collision, solve for missing variables, and calculate their values. (S.P. 2.1, 2.2)
• 5.D.1.6 The student is able to make predictions of the dynamical properties of a system undergoing a collision by application of the principle of linear momentum conservation and the principle of the conservation of energy in situations in which an elastic collision may also be assumed. (S.P. 6.4)
• 5.D.1.7 The student is able to classify a given collision situation as elastic or inelastic, justify the selection of conservation of linear momentum and restoration of kinetic energy as the appropriate principles for analyzing an elastic collision, solve for missing variables, and calculate their values. (S.P. 2.1, 2.2)
• 5.D.2.1 The student is able to qualitatively predict, in terms of linear momentum and kinetic energy, how the outcome of a collision between two objects changes depending on whether the collision is elastic or inelastic. (S.P. 6.4, 7.2)
• 5.D.2.2 The student is able to plan data collection strategies to test the law of conservation of momentum in a two-object collision that is elastic or inelastic and analyze the resulting data graphically. (S.P.4.1, 4.2, 5.1)
• 5.D.3.2 The student is able to make predictions about the velocity of the center of mass for interactions within a defined one-dimensional system. (S.P. 6.4)