In an elastic collision between two objects with unequal masses,

Question

a
the kinetic energy of one object will increase by the amount that the kinetic energy of the other object decreases.
b
the total momentum of the system will increase.
c
the momentum of one object will increase by the amount that the momentum of the other object decreases.
d
the total momentum of the system will decrease.

Answer 1

In an elastic collision between two objects with unequal masses, the correct statement is:

a. The kinetic energy of one object will increase by the amount that the kinetic energy of the other object decreases.

In an elastic collision, both momentum and kinetic energy are conserved. Therefore, the total momentum of the system remains constant (contrary to statements b and d). Hence, the momentum of one object will not increase (or decrease) by the equal amount of the change in the other object’s momentum (as long as it is expressed in absolute terms), making option c misleading in the context of collision dynamics.

Overall, option a captures the principle of conservation of kinetic energy in elastic collisions accurately.