Types of collision

 

Types of collision :- There are three ways in which collision can be categorized :-

(a) Based on Line of Impact

1. Central collision/Impact
2. Eccentric collision/Impact

(b) Based on Energy Conservation

1. Elastic Collision
2. Inelastic Collision
3. Perfectly Inelastic Collision

(c) Based on direction

1. One-Dimensional (1D) Collision or Head on collision
2. Two-Dimensional (2D) Collision or Oblique collision

 

Let us discuss these one by one :-

(a) Based on Line of Impact

(Types of collision)

Line of impact : The common normal at the point of contact between the bodies is known as line of impact.

On the base of Line of Impact, collision is of two types :-

(1). Central collision/Impact :- If mass centers of the both the colliding bodies are located on the line of impact before and after the impact, the collision is called central collision.

(2). Eccentric collision/Impact :- If mass centers of both or any one of the colliding bodies are not on the line of impact, the impact is called eccentric impact. This causes rotational motion along with linear motion after collision.

 

(b) Based on Energy Conservation

(Types of collision)

(1). Elastic-collision :- The collision in which momentum and kinetic energy both are conserved, is called elastic collision.

(2). Inelastic-collision :- The collision in which momentum is conserved but kinetic energy is not conserved, is called inelastic collision.

(3). Perfectly inelastic collision :- The collision in which particles stick together after the collision, is called perfectly inelastic collision. In this type of inelastic collision , lose of kinetic energy is maximum.

(4). Super elastic collision :- In such types of collisions, momentum is conserved. However, the final kinetic energy is greater than initial kinetic energy (KE_f > KE_i). This means that energy is released during the impact, usually from stored potential energy (like in an explosion or a spring release).  For examples when a bomb explodes, then its fragments move in different directions such that their total momentum is zero, but the total kinetic energy of all the fragments is greater their initial kinetic energy.

 

(c) Based on direction

(Types of collision)

(1). One dimensional collision or Head on collision :- If velocities vectors of the colliding bodies are directed along the line of impact, the collision is called a direct or head-on collision.

(2). Two dimensional collision Or Oblique collision :- If velocity vectors of both or of any one of the bodies are not along the line of impact, the collision is called an oblique collision.