Question

use the image to answer the question.
in this newtons cradle, one metal ball is pulled back, causing the other balls to move. is this an elastic or inelastic collision and why?
(1 point)
○ inelastic, because kinetic energy is transferred into sound and heat energy
○ elastic, because kinetic energy and momentum are conserved within the system
○ inelastic, because momentum is not conserved within the system
○ elastic, because all of the balls have the same mass

Explanation:

In an elastic collision, both kinetic energy and momentum are conserved. In an inelastic collision, kinetic energy is not conserved (some is lost as other forms like sound or heat), while momentum is conserved. In Newton's cradle, when one ball hits the others, some kinetic energy is transferred into sound and heat (we can hear the sound when the balls collide). So it's an inelastic collision.

Answer:

inelast ic, because kinetic energy is transferred into sound and heat energy