Question

when two vehicles collide, momentum is conserved ______. view available hint(s)
○ if the collision is inelastic
○ only if deformation of either vehicle does not occur
○ whether the collision is elastic or inelastic
○ if the collision is elastic
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Explanation:

The law of conservation of momentum states that in a closed system, the total momentum before a collision equals the total momentum after the collision, regardless of whether the collision is elastic (where kinetic energy is also conserved) or inelastic (where kinetic energy is not conserved, and there may be deformation or energy loss as heat, sound, etc.). Deformation of vehicles doesn't affect momentum conservation as long as external forces (like friction, but in the context of collision analysis, we often consider the system of the two vehicles, and internal forces during collision are what matter for momentum conservation). So momentum is conserved in both elastic and inelastic collisions.

Answer:

C. whether the collision is elastic or inelastic