Question by …: Writing energy conservation equation for a collision?
For this problem, cart A is given an initial velocity towards a stationary cart B. There are pads at the end of each cart. The pads allow the carts to stick together after the collision.
Write down the energy conservation equation for this collision (Remember to take into account the energy dissipated).
right now i just have potential E(initial) + kinetic E(initial) = potential E(final) + kinetic E(final). i have no idea how to take into account the energy dissipated. any ideas?
Best answer:
Answer by E
What kind of potential energy are you tracking?
In the final state, some energy is in another form (dissipated):
potential E(initial) + kinetic E(initial) = potential E(final) + kinetic E(final) + dissipated E
where the total energy initially must equal the total energy finally.
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Edit: oldprof does, of course, mean “If this were perfectly ELASTIC, qe = 0 would be true.”
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