Distinguish between elastic and inelastic collisions.

Explanation

In an elastic collision between the bodies under isolation total linear momentum and kinetic energy will be conserved whereas in the case of inelastic collision only linear momentum will be conserved but not the total kinetic energy. In the case of a perfect elastic collision, the coefficient of restitution will be unity but for a perfectly inelastic collision, the coefficient of restitution will be zero. In general, collisions are neither perfectly elastic nor inelastic. The coefficient of restitution for an inelastic for an inelastic collision, lies between 0 and 1. In an elastic collision there will be no loss in the net kinetic energy of the system. The loss in hte kinetic energy in an inelastic collision `=(1)/(2)((m_(1)m_(2))/(m_(1)+m_(2)))v_(1i)^(2)`.