Where does kinetic energy go after it is used?

Answer 1

If you're suggesting something like an auto accident, the energy of the collision is used to deform materials in the structural elements of the vehicle(s). It also heats them. The primary design features of cars includes a lot of thought to where the energy of a collision can go. Bumpers collapse, body panels and their strengthening members fold and become compressed, and a top or roof can collapse down. All this sinks ("sucks up") energy. And if it all works in an optimal way, you can climb out and walk away.

Answer 2

momentum is always conserved. this means the momentum before a collision is equal to momentum after a collision. We can use the following example to explain further:

We have 2 rigid balls, one of mass 5kg (ball A) and the other of mass 10Kg (ball B)

Ball A is traveling at a velocity of 2m/s (-->) and ball B is stationary. After the collision, ball B moves positivly at 1m/s. What happens to ball A?

we can calculate the momentum before and after for each ball. (we will call --> the positive direction)

Momentum before = momentum after

Momentum = mass x Velocity

The momentum of balls A and B before the collision are equal to the momentum after the collision

There fore:

before collision:

ball A momentum = mass x velocity = (5 x 2) = 10

Ball B momentum = mass x velociy = (10 x 0) = 0

The total momentum before is 10 + 0 = 10 Kgm/s

After collision

Ball A momentum = mass x velocity = 10 x 1 = 10

Ball B momentum = mass x velocity = 5 x ? =?'

Total momentum after = 10 + ?'

We do not know the velocity to work out ball b's momentum but we know that momentum is conseved. this means that

10Kgm/s = 10+?'

?'= 0

From this, it shows that the momentum of ball B is 0 and therefoe the velocity is 0. this means it becomes stationary! :D

Answer 3

Some of the kinetic energy will be converted to heat energy and sound energy and some energy may be used in deforming the two or more objects that collided and that would result in lessened kinetic energy

Answer 4

After an object collides, part or all of the kinetic energy (the energy due to movement) is used to deform the object and as a result heat and sound are usually produced. So the kinetic energy is not really lost, but it is changed into other forms of energy. This is called the law of conservation of energy.

The collisions where part of the energy is changed to heat and sound on impact are called inelastic collisions. In a perfectly elastic collision all the K.E. is conserved, that is K.E. before collision is equal to K.E. after collision. No heat and sound are produced in this case. This is a perfect bounce!

Answer 5

it turns into potential energy

Answer 6

It is transformed to heat, sound, etc.