Question

Question: Two objects isolated from the rest of the universe collide and stick together. Does the system’s final kinetic energy depend on the frame of reference in which it is viewed? Does the system’s change in kinetic energy depend on the frame in which it is viewed? Explain your answer.

Short answer

Answer

The change in kinetic energy depends on the frame of reference in which it is viewed and does not depend on the frame in which it is viewed.

Step-by-step solution

The conservation of energy.

According to energy conservation, energy can be transformed from one form to another but can’t be destroyed. The total initial and final energy of the isolated system remains the same. But some energy is converted into heat and vibration losses in transforming energy from one form to another

Determine the change in the system kinetic energy depends on the frame or not.

Two objects that are isolated from the universe collide and stick together. The system's kinetic energy is directly proportional to velocity. The change in the kinetic energy depends on the frame of reference in which it is viewed. Because the velocity which is used to calculate the kinetic energy depends on the fame of the reference.

Hence the change in kinetic energy depends on the frame of reference in which it is viewed and does not depend on the frame in which it is viewed.