Question

Is it possible for two masses to undergo a collision such that the system of two masses has more kinetic energy than the two separate masses had? Explain.

Short answer

Answer: No, it is not possible for two masses to undergo a collision and have more kinetic energy afterward than the two separate masses had before the collision. Both elastic and inelastic collisions cannot result in a system with an increase in total kinetic energy.

Step-by-step solution

Understand types of collisions and conservation of energy

In physics, collisions can be categorized into two types: elastic and inelastic. In an elastic collision, both kinetic energy and momentum are conserved. In an inelastic collision, only momentum is conserved, while kinetic energy is not. The principle of conservation of energy states that the total energy of an isolated system remains constant, meaning that energy cannot be created nor destroyed, only transformed.

Analyze elastic collisions

In an elastic collision, both momentum and kinetic energy are conserved. This means that the total kinetic energy of the system (the two colliding masses) before and after the collision remains the same. Thus, for elastic collisions, it is not possible for the system of two masses to have more kinetic energy after the collision than the two separate masses had initially.

Analyze inelastic collisions

In an inelastic collision, only momentum is conserved, while kinetic energy is not. This means that some of the initial kinetic energy will be transformed into other forms of energy (e.g., internal, potential, or sound energy) during the collision. Consequently, the total kinetic energy of the system after the collision will always be less than the total kinetic energy of the two separate masses before the collision. As a result, it is not possible for the system of two masses to have more kinetic energy after an inelastic collision than the two separate masses had initially.

Conclusion

After analyzing both types of collisions, it becomes evident that it is not possible for two masses to undergo a collision and have more kinetic energy afterward than the two separate masses had before the collision. Both elastic and inelastic collisions cannot result in a system with an increase in total kinetic energy.