Question

Two football players collided on the field, and both went flying backwards. Energy was transferred from each player to the other, sending them in the opposite direction from which they had been running.

tell whether elastic or inelastic?

explain how energy was conserved/not conserved

describe all forms of energy incolved and how energy was transferred between them

describe the work done on the sytem, including its sign and source

Answer 1

this collision will be inelastic collision but not perfectly. for elastic collision, there should no any co lateral damage no loss of potential energy in the body. but, when two man(players) collide, some of the colateral damage must be occure in their bodies some of the potential energy will lose. so we cannot say this collision is a elastic collision.

energy will be conserve. because there is a rule of nature for the conservation of energy that energy neither be create nor destroy but it convert one form to other. so, when two player collide together then their kinetic energy converts into heat, kinetic energy(due to which they go apart after collision),etc. so, here energy is conserved. but, when we focus about mechanical energy then it will not be conserved because before the collision, kinetic energy of both players is not equal to the kinetic energy after collision.some of the kinetic energy will lose in the heat and other damges(lose of potential energy). so, we find the above discussion that energy will conserve but mechanical energy will not conserve.

form work energy theorem,

not work done on the body is equal to the change in kinetic energy of the body.

here, we see from the observation that initial kinetic energy is greater than the final kinetic energy,

net work done on the player = change in kinetic energy of the player (final kinetic energy- initial kinetic energy)

   = - ve

this negative work done is the loss of energy.