Question

A 2-kg stone falls 100 meters near the surface of the earth. it strikes the ground without any rebound thereby making a completely inelastic collision with the earth. approximately how much kinetic energy is transferred to the earth in this process?

Answer 1

Answer:

$E = 1960 J$

Explanation:

When a stone of mass 2 kg falls from initial height H = 100 m then its total potential energy will convert into kinetic energy just before it will hit the ground

So we will say

$mgH = \frac{1}{2}mv^2$

so we will have

$v = \sqrt{2gH}$

now we know that when collision is completely inelastic collision then the mechanical energy is completely lost in the form of thermal energy and other forms of energy

so here total kinetic energy is transferred to the Earth

so we have

$E = mgH$

$E = 2(9.8)100$

$E = 1960 J$

Answer 2

Answer;

Zero

Explanation;

• This is an example of inelastic collision in which energy is lost.
• Momentum is conserved in inelastic collisions, but one cannot track the kinetic energy through the collision since some of it is converted to other forms of energy.
• Momentum is conserved, because the total momentum of both objects before and after the collision is the same. However, kinetic energy is not conserved.
• Kinetic energy is converted into sound, heat, and deformation of the objects.