Physics › Section F · Momentum and collisions › Topic F.3
Elastic collisions in one dimension
In an elastic collision nothing is lost: both momentum and kinetic energy come out exactly as they went in. Those two conservation laws together fix the outcome of any head-on collision, and they explain why Newton's cradle works.
In this topic
- Collisions that give back everything
- What makes a collision elastic
- Two equations, two unknowns
- The relative-velocity shortcut
- When the target starts at rest
- Worked example: a light cart hits a heavier one
- The general result
- Worked example: a head-on clash
- Slowing neutrons in a reactor
- Common mistakes to avoid
- Key takeaways
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