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Elastic collision is a collision in which the total kinetic energy of the colliding bodies after collision is equal to their total
kinetic energy before collision. Elastic collisions occur only if there is no conversion of kinetic energy into other forms, as
in the collision of atoms. In the case of macroscopic bodies this will not be the case as
some of the energy will become heat. In a collision between polyatomic molecules, some kinetic energy may be converted into vibrational and rotational energy of the molecules, but otherwise molecular collisions
appear to be elastic.
Equations
Calculation
m1v1 + m2v2 =
m1v1' + m2v2'
Solving for v1' and v2' results
in the following:
and
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