Elastic Collision Formula

Bodies are said to be elastic if even though the body deforms during collision it regains its original shape
after the collision as shown in fig. The rubber balls shown above regains its shape even after collision. An
elastic collision is an encounter between two bodies in which the total kinetic energy of the two bodies
after the encounter is equal to their total kinetic energy before the encounter. Elastic collisions occur
only if there is no net conversion of kinetic energy into other forms. A perfectly elastic collision is
defined as one in which there is no loss of kinetic energy in the collision. An elastic collision is defined as
one in which both conservation of momentum and conservation of kinetic energy are observed.

Consider two elastic bodies of masses m1, m2 moving with initial velocity u1 and u2 towards each other
undergoes collision.

The Elastic Collision formula for momentum is given by

Where,
m1 = Mass of first body ,

m2 = Mass of second body,

u1 = Initial velocity of first body,
u2 = Initial velocity of second body,
v1 = Final velocity of first body,
v2 = Final velocity of second body.
The Elastic Collision formula for kinetic energy is given by

Solved Examples

Question 1: A ball of mass 2 Kg is moving with the velocity of 12 m/s collides with a stationary ball of
mass 6 kg and comes to rest. Calculate the velocity of ball of mass 6 Kg ball after collision. (Both balls are
elastic).
Solution:

Given: Mass of first ball m1 = 2 kg,

Initial Velocity of the first ball U1 = 12 m/s,
Mass of the second ball, m2 = 6 kg,
Initial velocity of the second ball, u2 = 0,
Final Velocity of first ball, v1 = 0,
 Final Velocity of second ball, v2 = ?.
The elastic collision formula is given by
1212 m1u12 + 1212 m2u22 = 1212 m1v12 + 1212 m2 v22
1212 ×× 2 ×× 122 + 1212 ×× 5 ×× 0 = 1212 ×× 2 ×× 02 + 1212 ×× 6 ×× v22
2 ×× 144 + 0 = 0 + 3v2
288 = 3 v2
v2 = 96
v = 96−−√96
= 4 6–√6 m/s.

Question 2: A 10 Kg block moving with initial velocity of 12 m/s with 6 Kg wooden block moving towards
the first block with velocity 4 m/s. After collision the second body comes to rest .Calculate the final
velocity of first body?(Collision is elastic).
Solution:

Given:Mass of first ball m1 = 10 kg,

Initial Velocity of the first ball u1 = 12 m/s,
Mass of the second ball, m2 = 6 kg,
Initial velocity of the second ball, u2 = 4 m/s,
Final Velocity of first ball, v1 = ?,
Final Velocity of second ball, v2 = 0.
The Elastic collision formula is given by
m1u1 + m2u2 = m1v1 + m2v2
10 ×× 12 + 6 ×× 4 = 10 ×× v1 + 6 ×× 0
120 + 24 = 10 v1 + 0
144 = 10 v1
∴∴ Final velocity of the first body v1 = 14.4 m/s.

Inelastic Collision Formula

The collision in which kinetic energy of the system is not conserved but momentum conserves, then that
collision is known as Inelastic Collision.
Inelastic Collision Formula is given by

Where,
m1 = mass of body 1

m2 = mass of body 2
u1 = Initial velocity of body 1
u2 = Initial velocity of body 2
v = Final velocity of both the bodies

The final velocity for in elastic collision is given by

A 3000 kg truck travelling at 50 km/hr strikes a stationary 1000 kg car, locking the two vehicles together.
What is the final velocity of the two vehicles?
Part A: To find the final velocity, remember momentum is conserved before and after
the collision.
total momentum before = total momentum after
mTvT + mCvC = (mT + mC)vFinal
where
mT = mass of the truck = 3000 kg
mC = mass of the car = 1000 kg
vT = velocity of the truck = 50 km/hr
vC = velocity of the car = 0 km/hr
vFinal = final velocity of the combined truck and car = ?
Plug these values into the equation
(3000 kg)(50 km/hr) + (1000 kg)(0 km/hr) = (3000 kg + 1000 kg)vFinal
Solve for vFinal
150,000 kg⋅km/hr + 0 kg⋅km/hr = (4000 kg)vFinal
150,000 kg⋅km/hr = (4000 kg)vFinal
vFinal = 150,000 kg⋅km/hr/(4000 kg)
vFinal = 37.5 km/hr
The final velocity of the combined truck-car mass continues on at 37.5 km/hr.