Here's why this is an elastic collision:
* Conservation of Kinetic Energy: The total kinetic energy of the two balls *before* the collision is equal to the total kinetic energy of the two balls *after* the collision. No energy is lost as heat, sound, or deformation.
* Conservation of Momentum: The total momentum of the two balls before the collision is equal to the total momentum of the two balls after the collision. In other words, the total amount of motion is conserved.
What happens in the collision:
1. Before Collision: Ball A is moving towards Ball B, which is stationary. Ball A has a certain amount of kinetic energy.
2. Collision: The two balls collide head-on. There's no sound, no heat, and no deformation.
3. After Collision: Ball A comes to a complete stop, transferring all its kinetic energy to Ball B. Ball B now moves with the same velocity Ball A had initially.
Important Notes:
* Real-world collisions are never perfectly elastic. Some energy will always be lost as heat, sound, or deformation.
* The closer a collision is to elastic, the more "bouncy" it appears.
This billiard ball example is a classic demonstration of elastic collisions because it helps visualize the key principles of energy and momentum conservation.
