Question

Let’s assume, two balls before the collision are moving towards one another and after the collision moving away from each other, then at one point their velocities must have been zero. What happens to the kinetic energy at that point in time?

• A. All the KE gets converted to heat energy produced during the collision
• B. All the KE gets converted to sound energy produced during the collision
• C. All the KE gets converted to the elastic potential energy of deformation produced during the collision
• D. We cannot apply conservation of energy in this case

Answer 1

The correct option is C

All the KE gets converted to the elastic potential energy of deformation produced during the collision

At the point of zero velocities, all the kinetic energy is now stored as the elastic potential energy of the deformed balls.