Superelastic Collisions
We all know about inelastic and elastic collisions. inelastic collisions are when two or more objects stick together after contact. elastic collisions are when two or more objects bounce off each other after contact. what on earth is a superelastic collision then? first, an inelastic collision is when the kinetic energy before the collision is greater than the kinetic energy after. an elastic collision is when the kinetic energy before a collision equals the kinetic energy after the collision. therefore, a superelastic collision is when the kinetic energy before a collision is less than the kinetic energy after the collision. what does this look like you may ask? imagine a land mine for instance. when your foot collides with the pressure plate on a land mine, some kinetic energy was exhibited. the instant your foot hits the pressure plate, the land mine explodes and your guts and limbs are scattered. the kinetic energy of your foot before making contact with the pressure plate is less than the kinetic energy of your foot being hurled into a tree hundreds of feet away.
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