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AP Physics C: Mechanics
4.4 Elastic and Inelastic Collisions
4.3 Conservation of Linear Momentum
4.2 Change in Momentum and Impulse
IntermediateMCQConceptual23.1k
A grayscale diagram showing two collision scenarios labeled Case 1 and Case 2, stacked vertically on a horizontal frictionless surface represented by a solid horizontal line for each case. In Case 1, a small solid disk of mass labeled m moves to the right with an arrow labeled v_0 toward a stationary rectangular block labeled M; a dashed horizontal arrow pointing left indicates rebound away from the block. In Case 2, an identical disk of mass labeled m moves to the right with an arrow labeled v_0 toward an identical stationary rectangular block labeled M, coming to rest attached to the front face of the block. No other labels, lines, text, or axes appear.
Side views of the elastic rebound collision (Case 1) and perfectly inelastic collision (Case 2).
In a laboratory investigation, two small spheres of identical mass \(m\) are projected horizontally at the same speed \(v_0\) toward identical, stationary target blocks of mass \(M\) on a frictionless horizontal floor. Sphere 1 rebounds horizontally after an elastic collision, while Sphere 2 collides inelastically and adheres to its block. Sensors record that the block struck by Sphere 1 attains a greater final speed than the block struck by Sphere 2. Which of the following explanations best accounts for this observation?

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